Between June and October 2023 we gathered insights from over 500 local people in order to understand your priorities for the new Bow Goods Yard Masterplan. At our Autumn events we shared 24 themed priorities in order to check we were getting it right. Based on your feedback we’ve refined these into a more concise ‘community brief’ to guide the project going forward.
At future events, we will refer to this brief. Delivering this project and your priorities will involve working with the local authorities, partners and occupiers and we will be clear on where we believe we’ve met the priorities and if there are priorities we can’t meet, we’ll explain why.
Make industrial uses a better neighbour
Reduce the impact of heavy industry on site by making it quieter, cleaner, more enclosed and less disruptive.
Address HGV traffic and poor air quality and reduce their presence in residential areas as much as possible.
Make it more aesthetically pleasing with characterful design that is in keeping with the area and with planting to screen certain areas.
Ensure the design is as sustainable as possible promoting climate resilience in terms of building, operating and landscaping choices.
Introduce different scales of work and lighter industry including more human scale / workshops and maker spaces considering circular economy.
Create better connections and safer routes with green, wild, usable landscape
Improve connections and existing routes where possible with better wayfinding, lighting and less traffic in the surrounding area making it safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
Enhance biodiversity, connection to nature and retain the current sense of wildness.
Create public spaces that people can use for a variety of social, playful, mindful and leisure uses.
The development should offer benefits to the community
Look to provide everyday convenient, affordable amenities (shops, food options) as well as space for cultural / leisure activities.
Create inclusive opportunities for jobs, skills and training.
If housing is included, we would look to provide affordable housing.
Offer meanwhile uses that meet needs of existing community - especially young people - which can be incorporated into long term plans.