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See below for the latest news from South Staffordshire Partnership
Designing Southern Staffordshire
The Partnership recently organised a half day event at the Chasewater Innovation Centre to look at building design from the perspective of a developer, an architect, a local authority and young people. The aim of the event was to provide a better understanding of the constraints and pressures facing each sector involved in the industry, to explore how we can better support each other to ensure we maintained high design standards in the built environment in the downturn, and how we can maintain a commitment to continual improvement in building design.
Some 30 colleagues attended this event earlier this month which took speakers from developers Fresh Space Ltd, architects Brownhill Hayward and Brown, South Staffordshire District Council, and regional body MADE. Working with Southern Staffordshire Young Chamber programme we also involved 3 young people from Chasetown Sports College who were able to provide a fresh view from the user’s point of view of what was considered good design using their school and local buildings as examples. A further three seminars are being run through the summer and autumn focusing on sustainable building, improving design and investing in the public realm, and heritage as a modern asset.
Commenting, Andrew Hayward, partner in Brownhill Hayward and Brown, and a member of the Partnership’s Design steering group said “We are committed to continually raising the standards of design in the built environment and this Seminar together with our Awards programme will help to underpin this aim and make southern Staffordshire an attractive place in which to live, work and invest. Quality design is now widely recognised as a key part of economic regeneration. It has a crucial role to play in the image and profile of Southern Staffordshire, in maintaining and developing local distinctiveness and attracting investment and people. Despite the economic downturn it is important that we continue to focus on producing well designed buildings be they for housing, public use or private businesses. The quality of peoples work, leisure, home environment and general morale/well being can be greatly enhanced by the quality of design of the buildings they are in, and to sacrifice standards now could have long term detrimental consequences”
As part of the half day event delegates also had the opportunity to tour the Chasewater Innovation Centre, and to discuss what they saw to be the three most important actions necessary to further improve design in the built environment across southern Staffordshire.
Partnership Director Jeff Marlow added, “Against the backdrop of this economic downturn we want to ensure that the process for securing and delivering quality development is made as efficient as possible. Local District Councils are working through the Southern Staffordshire Partnership with representatives from the private sector to promote design quality in the built environment; to promote good practice; and to share knowledge on the latest innovation and thinking around building design”.
Fantastic Response to Local Regeneration Awards
No less than 67 projects have been entered into the inaugural Southern Staffordshire Regeneration Awards. Commenting Jeff Marlow, Partnership Director says, “Southern Staffordshire may not, in the traditional sense, be seen as a centre for regeneration activity. However we were confident that the area was home to a wide range of economic, social and environmental interventions and that is clearly evidenced by the support for these Awards. All too often the work going on in this area is overshadowed by those of its neighbouring more urban areas and it is vital we bring to the fore the good work going on in Southern Staffordshire”.
In response to this the Southern Staffordshire Partnership has launched a Regeneration Initiative to (a) to develop the knowledge base on regeneration using exemplar projects, (b) to promote and share best practice on regeneration schemes across southern Staffordshire, (c) create a culture of, and reputation for, innovative regeneration, and (d) to raise the profile and relevance of economic regeneration within the partner organisations.
Commenting on the initiative Partnership Director Jeff Marlow notes, “We are now keen to address regeneration in a holistic way and strive to make our communities more economically and environmentally sustainable in the longer term. An Awards Competition will be central to this as we seek to recognise and promote the breadth and quality of regeneration activities across southern Staffordshire. In addition to some of our flagship multi million pound projects we are, in particular, keen to showcase those enduring initiatives that are inspired by local people which enhance our local neighbourhoods and communities”
The Partnership scoped out over 100 regeneration activities that had taken place over the past 2 years across the area. Southern Staffordshire is one of the few non urban areas to run an Awards Programme reflecting the importance that is given to economic, environmental and social regeneration across the area. The Partnership was keen to adopt as wide a definition of regeneration as possible noting firstly that towns, communities and business are continually going through a renewal process and secondly that small scale projects addressing community safety, service provision, skills development and environmental improvements are as relevant as many of the larger scale redevelopment programmes.
Jeff Marlow added, “Whilst the Awards Competition will reward the best in Southern Staffordshire this is as much about supporting all the projects, organisations, individuals and groups involved in regeneration. We want to show that where we have the capacity, we deliver very good results but also that in some cases our ability to deliver all that we want is hampered by capacity constraints. This is key to whole initiative where we will be looking to support continuous improvement and development across all those involved in regeneration”.
The short listing for the awards will take place this month with the judging in July and an Awards Luncheon in September. The Awards are based on categories including, “improving quality of life”, “transforming the environment”, contribution to business and enterprise development” and “innovative engagement”. The judging Panel will include representatives from RegenWM, InStaffs and Staffordshire University. The guest speaker at the Awards Lunch will be Simon Topman MD of Acme Whistles in Birmingham and Chair of the Aston Pride Regeneration Partnership.
David Dimbleby lends support to the Southern Staffordshire Design Awards
The Southern Staffordshire Design Awards received a boost in 2007 from David Dimbleby who recorded some introductory comments which were shown as part of the Awards Luncheon in September.
The Design Awards, run by the Southern Staffordshire Partnership, recognise and promote the best in new buildings and conservation across the area and are held every two years. Winning entries in 2007 included the new Children’s Centre in Stafford, The Old Stoneyard in Lichfield, and the Malt House near Kinver.
Recognising a connection with David Dimbleby’s recent TV programme called “How we Built Britain” the Partnership had contacted him about their scheme and he readily agreed to record some words that would to set the scene for the Awards luncheon which was held at Uttoxeter Racecourse.
Commenting, Jeff Marlow Director of the Southern Staffordshire Partnership who organise the Awards said, “We had already had all the short listed entries filmed to DVD by a small group of media students we are working with from Staffordshire University. As this DVD was going to be shown at the Awards Lunch we thought it would be great if we could persuade David Dimbleby to also be on it introducing the awards and the short listed entries. He was very amenable to this and we met up with him in London where he recorded a piece with our media students.”
Nathan Cornish, Regional Director for the renowned award winning developers Urban Splash Ltd was the guest speaker for the Awards Luncheon and the judging panel for 2007's competition was led by Julie Morgan, Design Review Manager at Midlands Architecture and Design Excellence (MADE).
Mr Marlow added,” With over 40 entries we have had fantastic support for the Awards in 2007 and have seen some innovative and attractive buildings entered many of which are incorporating measures to reduce carbon emissions and lower environmental impact. The judges clearly had a tough job but that reflects the excellent quality of building design we are seeing across southern Staffordshire”.
Over 150 people attended the Awards Luncheon at which they saw and heard about the 16 schemes short listed in the five categories of the awards.
Partnership Support For New Business Link Service
This month has seen the launch of a new regional wide business support service with Business Link West Midlands replacing the locally based Staffordshire Business Link. The new service has the strong backing of Advantage West Midlands who want to see it help significantly more businesses each year, and help more people to start up new businesses, thereby improve the regions productivity levels.
Read more...
Southern Staffordshire Design Awards 2007
The 2007 Southern Staffordshire Design Initiative seeks to promote achievement of excellence in design and construction of buildings and spaces in Southern Staffordshire, with imaginative use of public art and increasing incorporation of sustainability principles.
Our objectives are to:
- Influence and promote excellence in the design of public and private buildings and spaces in Southern Staffordshire
- Identify opportunities for signature buildings
- Identify opportunities for low energy buildings and developments
- Encourage the use of appropriate and exciting public art in all new public and private developments
- Encourage a greater and more diverse interest in achieving quality design
Winners
The winners were announced at an Awards Luncheon held at Uttoxeter Racecourse on Wednesday 5 September
Commercial Buildings
- Sandon Hall, Stafford
Residential Development
- Yates Yard, Eccleshall
Highly Commended: The Old Stoneyard
Public Buildings
- Stafford Childrens Centre
Highly Commended: King Edward VI High School Music Room, Lichfield
Conservation/Refurbishment
- Four Ashes Hall Malt House
Highly Commended: The Swan, Lichfield
Special Sustainability Award
- The Stafford Box
Small Scale Project
- Oldcroft Cottage
Shortlisting Criteria
The following criterion informed the shortlisting.
- its architectural ambition, ideas and its design vision.
- the extent of originality and innovation
- its relationship to its context and its capacity to stimulate and engage its occupants and visitors
- the spatial experience it offers; the benefits from the scheme’s design in terms of increased well-being, access, safety or efficiency;
- the appropriateness of its structural and servicing systems
- the contribution of the design to the quality of the built environment
- the use of materials and building techniques and how these are expressed in the form & appearance of the building, scheme or artwork
- the quality of professional work involved in the design from its concept to its execution;
- the use of landscaping in the context of the building and its surrounding and how far this contributes to the overall design
Judging
A team of judges including Julie Morgan from MADE, John Acres from WMRTPI, Professor Joe Holyoak from UCE and Michael Taylor from English Heritage visited the shortlisted schemes over two days on 13 and 16 July.
Designing Southern Staffordshire
The Partnership recently organised a half day event at the Chasewater Innovation Centre to look at building design from the perspective of a developer, an architect, a local authority and young people. The aim of the event was to provide a better understanding of the constraints and pressures facing each sector involved in the industry, to explore how we can better support each other to ensure we maintained high design standards in the built environment in the downturn, and how we can maintain a commitment to continual improvement in building design.
Some 30 colleagues attended this event earlier this month which took speakers from developers Fresh Space Ltd, architects Brownhill Hayward and Brown, South Staffordshire District Council, and regional body MADE. Working with Southern Staffordshire Young Chamber programme we also involved 3 young people from Chasetown Sports College who were able to provide a fresh view from the user’s point of view of what was considered good design using their school and local buildings as examples. A further three seminars are being run through the summer and autumn focusing on sustainable building, improving design and investing in the public realm, and heritage as a modern asset.
Commenting, Andrew Hayward, partner in Brownhill Hayward and Brown, and a member of the Partnership’s Design steering group said “We are committed to continually raising the standards of design in the built environment and this Seminar together with our Awards programme will help to underpin this aim and make southern Staffordshire an attractive place in which to live, work and invest. Quality design is now widely recognised as a key part of economic regeneration. It has a crucial role to play in the image and profile of Southern Staffordshire, in maintaining and developing local distinctiveness and attracting investment and people. Despite the economic downturn it is important that we continue to focus on producing well designed buildings be they for housing, public use or private businesses. The quality of peoples work, leisure, home environment and general morale/well being can be greatly enhanced by the quality of design of the buildings they are in, and to sacrifice standards now could have long term detrimental consequences”
As part of the half day event delegates also had the opportunity to tour the Chasewater Innovation Centre, and to discuss what they saw to be the three most important actions necessary to further improve design in the built environment across southern Staffordshire.
Partnership Director Jeff Marlow added, “Against the backdrop of this economic downturn we want to ensure that the process for securing and delivering quality development is made as efficient as possible. Local District Councils are working through the Southern Staffordshire Partnership with representatives from the private sector to promote design quality in the built environment; to promote good practice; and to share knowledge on the latest innovation and thinking around building design”.
Fantastic Response to Local Regeneration Awards
No less than 67 projects have been entered into the inaugural Southern Staffordshire Regeneration Awards. Commenting Jeff Marlow, Partnership Director says, “Southern Staffordshire may not, in the traditional sense, be seen as a centre for regeneration activity. However we were confident that the area was home to a wide range of economic, social and environmental interventions and that is clearly evidenced by the support for these Awards. All too often the work going on in this area is overshadowed by those of its neighbouring more urban areas and it is vital we bring to the fore the good work going on in Southern Staffordshire”.
In response to this the Southern Staffordshire Partnership has launched a Regeneration Initiative to (a) to develop the knowledge base on regeneration using exemplar projects, (b) to promote and share best practice on regeneration schemes across southern Staffordshire, (c) create a culture of, and reputation for, innovative regeneration, and (d) to raise the profile and relevance of economic regeneration within the partner organisations.
Commenting on the initiative Partnership Director Jeff Marlow notes, “We are now keen to address regeneration in a holistic way and strive to make our communities more economically and environmentally sustainable in the longer term. An Awards Competition will be central to this as we seek to recognise and promote the breadth and quality of regeneration activities across southern Staffordshire. In addition to some of our flagship multi million pound projects we are, in particular, keen to showcase those enduring initiatives that are inspired by local people which enhance our local neighbourhoods and communities”
The Partnership scoped out over 100 regeneration activities that had taken place over the past 2 years across the area. Southern Staffordshire is one of the few non urban areas to run an Awards Programme reflecting the importance that is given to economic, environmental and social regeneration across the area. The Partnership was keen to adopt as wide a definition of regeneration as possible noting firstly that towns, communities and business are continually going through a renewal process and secondly that small scale projects addressing community safety, service provision, skills development and environmental improvements are as relevant as many of the larger scale redevelopment programmes.
Jeff Marlow added, “Whilst the Awards Competition will reward the best in Southern Staffordshire this is as much about supporting all the projects, organisations, individuals and groups involved in regeneration. We want to show that where we have the capacity, we deliver very good results but also that in some cases our ability to deliver all that we want is hampered by capacity constraints. This is key to whole initiative where we will be looking to support continuous improvement and development across all those involved in regeneration”.
The short listing for the awards will take place this month with the judging in July and an Awards Luncheon in September. The Awards are based on categories including, “improving quality of life”, “transforming the environment”, contribution to business and enterprise development” and “innovative engagement”. The judging Panel will include representatives from RegenWM, InStaffs and Staffordshire University. The guest speaker at the Awards Lunch will be Simon Topman MD of Acme Whistles in Birmingham and Chair of the Aston Pride Regeneration Partnership.
David Dimbleby lends support to the Southern Staffordshire Design Awards
The Southern Staffordshire Design Awards received a boost in 2007 from David Dimbleby who recorded some introductory comments which were shown as part of the Awards Luncheon in September.
The Design Awards, run by the Southern Staffordshire Partnership, recognise and promote the best in new buildings and conservation across the area and are held every two years. Winning entries in 2007 included the new Children’s Centre in Stafford, The Old Stoneyard in Lichfield, and the Malt House near Kinver.
Recognising a connection with David Dimbleby’s recent TV programme called “How we Built Britain” the Partnership had contacted him about their scheme and he readily agreed to record some words that would to set the scene for the Awards luncheon which was held at Uttoxeter Racecourse.
Commenting, Jeff Marlow Director of the Southern Staffordshire Partnership who organise the Awards said, “We had already had all the short listed entries filmed to DVD by a small group of media students we are working with from Staffordshire University. As this DVD was going to be shown at the Awards Lunch we thought it would be great if we could persuade David Dimbleby to also be on it introducing the awards and the short listed entries. He was very amenable to this and we met up with him in London where he recorded a piece with our media students.”
Nathan Cornish, Regional Director for the renowned award winning developers Urban Splash Ltd was the guest speaker for the Awards Luncheon and the judging panel for 2007's competition was led by Julie Morgan, Design Review Manager at Midlands Architecture and Design Excellence (MADE).
Mr Marlow added,” With over 40 entries we have had fantastic support for the Awards in 2007 and have seen some innovative and attractive buildings entered many of which are incorporating measures to reduce carbon emissions and lower environmental impact. The judges clearly had a tough job but that reflects the excellent quality of building design we are seeing across southern Staffordshire”.
Over 150 people attended the Awards Luncheon at which they saw and heard about the 16 schemes short listed in the five categories of the awards.
Partnership Support For New Business Link Service
This month has seen the launch of a new regional wide business support service with Business Link West Midlands replacing the locally based Staffordshire Business Link. The new service has the strong backing of Advantage West Midlands who want to see it help significantly more businesses each year, and help more people to start up new businesses, thereby improve the regions productivity levels.Southern Staffordshire Design Awards 2007
The 2007 Southern Staffordshire Design Initiative seeks to promote achievement of excellence in design and construction of buildings and spaces in Southern Staffordshire, with imaginative use of public art and increasing incorporation of sustainability principles.
Our objectives are to:
- Influence and promote excellence in the design of public and private buildings and spaces in Southern Staffordshire
- Identify opportunities for signature buildings
- Identify opportunities for low energy buildings and developments
- Encourage the use of appropriate and exciting public art in all new public and private developments
- Encourage a greater and more diverse interest in achieving quality design
Winners
The winners were announced at an Awards Luncheon held at Uttoxeter Racecourse on Wednesday 5 September
Commercial Buildings
- Sandon Hall, Stafford
Residential Development
- Yates Yard, Eccleshall
Highly Commended: The Old Stoneyard
Public Buildings
- Stafford Childrens Centre
Highly Commended: King Edward VI High School Music Room, Lichfield
Conservation/Refurbishment
- Four Ashes Hall Malt House
Highly Commended: The Swan, Lichfield
Special Sustainability Award
- The Stafford Box
Small Scale Project
- Oldcroft Cottage
Shortlisting Criteria
The following criterion informed the shortlisting.
- its architectural ambition, ideas and its design vision.
- the extent of originality and innovation
- its relationship to its context and its capacity to stimulate and engage its occupants and visitors
- the spatial experience it offers; the benefits from the scheme’s design in terms of increased well-being, access, safety or efficiency;
- the appropriateness of its structural and servicing systems
- the contribution of the design to the quality of the built environment
- the use of materials and building techniques and how these are expressed in the form & appearance of the building, scheme or artwork
- the quality of professional work involved in the design from its concept to its execution;
- the use of landscaping in the context of the building and its surrounding and how far this contributes to the overall design
Judging
A team of judges including Julie Morgan from MADE, John Acres from WMRTPI, Professor Joe Holyoak from UCE and Michael Taylor from English Heritage visited the shortlisted schemes over two days on 13 and 16 July.
Southern Staffordshire Partnership, District Council House, Frog Lane, Lichfield, Staffs, WS13 6YZ
Tel: 01543 308250 Fax: 01543 308200 E-mail: ssp@lichfielddc.gov.uk