Wrapped by river-front housing (129 apartments), along with two hotels (total of 240 bedrooms), and a selection of mixed A1/A3 units, the scheme also provides space for a major superstore retailer and extensive parking. Working with Mountford Piggott Architects we delivered a proposal that positively resolved riverside flood risk, provided important public space and highway infrastructure requirements which aided scheme viability.

Permission was secured locally with limited conditions and without need for Environmental Impact Assessment. We overcame various constraints to the site’s development being articulated in the Council’s emerging LDF allocation. We advanced rigorous retail planning arguments relating to sequential test and impact considerations against the background of sustained objections from owners of a competing development site and town centre retailers. We used the CABE architectural review process to overcome design criticisms from English Heritage and others. Innovative planning obligations were devised to overcome highway authority objections. We helped the Council to protect the permission through subsequent, unsuccessful judicial review.