One of the project’s key aims is to create a sustainable community which is inclusive and supports housing needs, job opportunities and community values. The sites are rich with a diverse range of heritage and environmental assets. The masterplan will play a key role in seeking to ensure new development takes account of this sensitive and unique context to deliver this sustainable vision.
The Egan Wheel
The ‘Egan Wheel’ can be used as a tool for assessing how sustainable a community is. It was devised to help facilitate the process of planning and designing new sustainable places. It has been used to help frame early discussions about the establishment of new neighbourhoods in East Norwich and has informed the themes which follow:
- Housing character and design
- Open space
- Transport and infrastructure
- Community facilities
- Creating jobs
- Safe and inclusive
- Heritage
- Environmentally sensitive
Housing character and design
Housing will form a vital component of the masterplan and therefore particular consideration will be given to the type, tenure, style, design, and materials of housing so that it meets the needs of Norwich and reinforces the character of the local area.
- How should new housing respond to local character?
- What type of housing will be appropriate?
- How should the design of new housing address the climate emergency?
- What housing tenures are appropriate for this location?
Open Space
Open space is an integral part of a functioning neighbourhood, providing multipurpose space for leisure, activities and wildlife. The sites have been locked away and not accessible to the public for so long - they will all have a role to
play in providing open space, providing attractive views over the landscape and important habitats for wildlife.
- What opportunities are there to create new open spaces?
- How can existing open spaces be used or reimagined?
- What type of activities could be catered for in the site’s open spaces?
Transport and infrastructure
Ensuring that transport and infrastructure are dealt with appropriately will be key to unlocking the East Norwich sites, enabling the area to function as a walkable and cyclable neighbourhood which is well connected with the rest of Norwich. Consideration will need to be given to access into and around the site, as well as existing barriers to movement such as the railway. How can connections to and between the sites best be delivered?
- How can good quality access to each site be achieved?
- How can connections between sites be established?
- How can connections to the city centre be improved?
- Can the sites improve access to the Broads?
- How can the masterplan support active and sustainable travel?
Community facilities
It is envisaged that the East Norwich quarter could provide up to 4,000 new homes, resulting in a need to provide a range of community facilities to support those living in the neighbourhood and wider area. What issues are most important to you in this regard?
- What community facilities will be required to support this level of growth?
- Is there scope for existing services and facilities be improved or enhanced?
- How could existing buildings and spaces on the sites be used to serve new residents and workers?
Creating jobs
The vision also envisages East Norwich as supporting 100,000 square meters of employment space, accommodating up to 6,000 new jobs. Consideration will need to be given to what kind of jobs will be right in this location, and what of the existing buildings and spaces could be refurbished to provide new jobs.
- What opportunities do the sites present to support the creation of new jobs?
- Are particular parts of the sites best placed to focus employment uses?
- Are there types of jobs which would be best suited to particular sites?
- What lessons can be learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Safe and inclusive
Safety and inclusivity are vital aspects of overall wellbeing, and therefore a successful and sustainable community. The masterplan will need to design in physical safety measures, particularly in relation to transport infrastructure, but also in terms of generating feelings of safety, such as overlooking, lighting and sightlines.
- How can this part of East Norwich best be integrated into the city as a whole?
- How can these new neighbourhoods be designed to ensure they feel safe?
- What management measures should be considered to make this area a success?
Heritage
The heritage assets across the East Norwich area are of national significance and make the area both very special but also very sensitive. The Grade 1 listed Carrow Abbey is set within the grounds of the Carrow Priory Scheduled Monument. There are other listed and locally listed buildings and structures across these sites.
- What are the site’s most significant assets?
- How can their setting best be respected or improved?
- How can the site’s unique and important social history best be respected?
- Do existing heritage assets present particular opportunities for reuse?
Environmentally sensitive
Much of the Deal Ground site is at risk of flooding and also forms part of a Country Wildlife site designation. The site marks the threshold between the city and the Norfolk Broads. What opportunities do you think this presents for the future of the
area?
- How can the masterplan best promote the creation of cleaner and greener neighbourhoods?
- How can we protect and enhance biodiversity across the area?
- How can flood risk be managed in the context of new development?
- What opportunities are there to ensure buildings are built to the highest environmental standards?
