Background
We produced a masterplan and town centre public realm strategy to transform Gainsborough town centre into an identifiable, vibrant and exciting new quarter.
Our masterplan and strategy is built around restructuring and bringing to life the underused spaces within the town centre. We identified sites for redevelopment or repurposing, promoting active ground floors and creating a hierarchy of connected spaces and streetscape. Our proposals will bring an intuitive legibility of the area and help pedestrians to re-think of it as a destination for the local community visitors and businesses.
A series of well-connected urban spaces will provide a canvas for various events and features to activate the public realm. The enhanced character will create an inviting visitor experience, encouraging people to dwell, discover and enjoy what the town offers.
Process
- Identifying key challenges such as lack of evening economy as well as poor connectivity, low footfall, high commercial vacancy rates and poor condition of building fabric, to build a strategy to revitalise Gainsborough town centre
- Activating the town centre by diversifying and attracting new uses within the buildings and improving public realm to support any spill over activities.
- Strengthening connectivity between the centre, transport hubs and riverside, by enhancing legibility, visually and physically.
- Enhancing the riverside by providing new facilities and bringing to life the derelict buildings.
Impact
We undertook the commission as lead consultants to complement the successful Levelling Up Fund Bid. By all means, we are now taking forward more detailed design work for the local authority client.
Project Centre did an excellent job of identifying town centre improvement projects for inclusion in our ‘Thriving Gainsborough’ Levelling Up Fund application. Our application was successful, and they are now supporting us in developing three schemes for implementation. Project Centre bring, flair, passion and innovation in their design consultancy role. We would certainly recommend the them to colleagues across the sector.
Sally Grindron-Smith, Director Planning, Regeneration and Communities
