About Magazine Issue 21 - Autumn 2003

Hastings Millennium Community

The Council, Task Force and English Partnerships are busy working on the Council's successful bid for the Millennium Community and the project is now well under way.

Work has started on the Urban Design Framework that will guide development in the Ore Valley.  A team comprising some of the country's top consultants have been appointed.  Designs are being developed in close consultation with the development sub-group of the Ore Valley Forum.

Caroline Lwin, Masterplanning Manager said: "Much good work has already been done to plan for a better, more sustainable community in the Ore Valley, with several Planning for Real exercises and urban designs.  We will build on this wealth of knowledge, to take on board all that the community have said in the past and develop a plan for the Millennium Community in Ore that is deliverable"

The Urban Design Framework will put together a plan to allow up to 700 homes to be built in the Ore Valley.  It will make sure that there is enough land for the development, work out how the space will be used and ensure that there is good access and links to other areas within the site.  The homes will be built to the highest standards of energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption by 50%, water consumption by 20% and waste produced by 50%.  The project will incorporate retail, commercial, leisure and education opportunities.

To create a sustainable community that is a good place to live, work and play, the designers are exploring:

• Safe Road and pedestrian access across the valley at several points
• The best ways to provide access to a transport interchange around Ore station, combining rail, road, buses and taxis
• How green spaces can be developed to enhance the diverse natural ecology, as well as provide informal leisure space for residents
• Ways of providing the best sites for the creation of community and commercial hubs in the north and south of the valley
• Sympathetically integrating the new and existing housing development

Millennium Community Manager James Saunders, said: " We have shared our early ideas and sketches with a wide range of interested parties and we are now reviewing the many helpful comments that we have received.  We will use these to develop our proposals for a comprehensive deliverable Urban Design Framework."

The next phase of development will take place at Hastings Station Plaza where 120 high quality new homes are currently being designed as part of the mixed-use development of the old goods yard next to the rail station.

Below: An artist's impression of how developments at Ore Valley could look.

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