The Spatial Dimension

The spatial configuration and qualities of the City are key factors in the visitor experience. We contend that city offers are more than a collection of attractions and a series of events, but that they are a product of the totality of the urban experience in terms the quality and character of the physical landscape, the vibrancy of the cultural environment and the presentation of the City as an accessible and connected place. In this way the City is more than the sum of its parts for both the visitor and citizen.

By looking at tourism in the City from a spatial perspective we can begin to understand and build upon its structure in terms of ‘place’ and the connectedness of different and varied places within the City in order to enhance the visitor experience. How we shape the physical environment, both built and natural, contributes to our celebration of the city’s heritage, represents a city’s sense of expression, values and confidence and says something about contemporary life-style and aspirations for the future. In Belfast the visitor experience can be enhanced and is directly affected by a number of key spatial factors:

1. the quality, variety and vitality of public spaces such as streets and squares and the degree of shared ‘public life’ that is created
2. access to and use of natural assets such as the River Lagan and the Belfast Hills
3. access to and presentation of the city’s built heritage in the form of buildings of architectural and historical significance and areas of visually and historically important townscape value
4. the degree to which the city’s local distinctiveness is conserved and nurtured
5. the ease with which visitors are able to move around the city, either walking, cycling or by public transport the emphasis and importance placed upon the quality and distinctiveness of new urban interventions both in terms of buildings and public spaces
6. the degree to which different parts of the city are successfully connected by safe, attractive and visually interesting public spaces and access corridors e.g. the River Lagan
7. the degree to which environmental sustainability is nurtured by projects such as the North Foreshore, Connswater Greenway and the creation of ‘green’ connections between neighbourhoods across the City

We have already pointed to the fact that visitor surveys and other sources suggest that one of the principal shortcomings in Belfast’s visitor experience is the level of quality and appeal of public spaces and streetscapes, combined with issues around street cleanliness, public transport provision and street animation and entertainment this paints the picture of a city which lacks the kind of environment we have come to expect of our great European cities. This despite the improvements that have been brought about in recent years by the ‘Streets Ahead’ programme, the urban riverside public realm improvements at Lanyon Place and along the Lagan, unprecedented levels of investment in new development such as Victoria Square and St Anne’s Square and the emergence of locations such as the Queens and Cathedral Quarters as unique and attractive ‘character areas’.

In short, there is still much that Belfast has to do in order to build on recent investment to improve its physical environment and put it, at least, on a par with other great cities across Europe.

A ten point approach

1. Work to establish the River Lagan as a principle ‘thoroughfare’ through the city linking the Lagan Valley, the City Centre and the Harbour/Titanic Quarter.
2. Enhance the city’s public spaces, improving connectivity between attractions, facilities and city destinations (including the city’s outer neighbourhoods) by investment in key locations, in addition to the City Centre Core, such as;
   • Shaftesbury Square/Bradbury Place
   • Carlisle Circus/Clifton Street
   • Queens Quay/Station Street
   • Divis Street/Falls Road
   • Peter’s Hill/Shankill Road
   • Grosvenor Road
   • Dunbar Link
   • Oxford Street/Donegall Quay
   • Ann Street/Queens Bridge
   • Cromac Street/Ormeau Road
3. Promote investment in a sustainable city-wide public transport system building upon the proposed Guided Bus Network and existing services, connecting attractions and facilities across the City which are becoming all the more widespread and potentially disparate.
4. Work within each of the City ‘Quarters’ to nurture a sense of distinctiveness rooted in the characteristics and cultural uniqueness of each place.
5. Drive up urban quality across the City to achieve ever higher standards of design, and establish a ‘Design Panel’ to assess major strategic projects (Reference here to the type of remit exercised by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment – CABE – in England).
6. Promote the issue of design and nurture sustainable planning principles across the City through the ongoing City Development Plan process being undertaken by Belfast City Council, and include within the Plan a Strategic Urban Design Framework for the City and a specific Urban Design Action Plan for the City Centre.
7. Develop a City-wide ‘Greenways’ Strategy based on improving connections between City neighbourhoods and to and from the City Centre.
8. Establish Titanic Quarter as a world class waterfront visitor destination which aspires to the highest the standards of urban design, sustainable transport, architecture and ‘place-making’ and which has excellent and well executed connections to the City Centre.
9. Ensure Belfast City Centre is one the principle centres in the UK and Ireland with a range of quality facilities and services, and a safe, vibrant and animated public realm.
10. Establish a City ‘Conservation Forum’ which will work to promote the best care and presentation of Belfast’s built and natural heritage assets including buildings, open spaces and parks and urban public spaces.

Canterbury City Council commissioned yellow book and WMUD to carry out a concept study of a proposed creative and cultural quarter in Canterbury. An emerging Creative and Cultural Quarter has been identified in the area west of the Cathedral, which already contains some the city’s key cultural assets, including the New Marlowe Theatre and the Beaney Institute. This historic part of the city already has a distinctive character and sense of place, reflected in its independent retailers and growing evening economy, but it is also facing new competitive challenges from the Whitefriars development, which will shift the centre of gravity of activity in the city centre.

The creation of a successful CCQ is not simply an urban design project. It is about bringing the area’s cultural assets, businesses and people into register to create an appealing whole place experience. Nevertheless, cultural quarters require the right physical framework: a permeable, legible urban form; places for events and activities; opportunities to eat and drink outdoors; and good quality buildings, new and old.

The study will be carried out in two stages – firstly we will test the concept of establishing a creative and cultural quarter in the designated area, based on an assessment of the area’s assets and attributes, and a review of market conditions; at the end of this stage we will present an interim report, setting out a recommended strategic proposition; the report will form the basis for discussion at a partner/stakeholder workshop

The second stage will develop the concept through an overarching strategy for the CCQ, which will set out priorities for action. These will include an area-wide urban design strategy and detailed proposals for key sites, as well as an action plan (with outline costings) and a recommended delivery mechanism.

The final report is shown below:

As part of its Cultural Tourism Strategy and Action Plan, Belfast City Council has commissioned a multidisciplinary team consisting of TTC International, g2 and Willie Miller Urban Design to carry out a Cultural Tourism Visitor Management Plan. This plan will help to develop Belfast in global terms as a city of unique cultural standing. The brief for the study proposes the development and delivery of plan for the most effective interpretation, presentation, management and development of the City’s public realm in designated cultural tourism quarters.

The purpose of this study is to investigate ways in which motor sport events could contribute to the overall tourism product of the Trossachs. The study has been commissioned by Stirling Council and Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley.

The study is based on the proposal that the Trossachs and Callander could become a centre for motor sport activities in Scotland, based on the idea of running a range of events in the area which would attract national and international interest. The main event would be a speed, rally or historical meeting running through the Dukes Pass.

Between 1992 and 1997, efforts were made to build an international standard motor racing circuit in Central Scotland at Forrestburn Reservoir just north of Junction 5 on the M8 Glasgow to Edinburgh motorway. The proposal attracted support and derision in equal measure. The choice of site ensured that the circuit would have a distinctive Scottish character and created the opportunity to build a circuit in the tradition of Spa-Francorchamps, Rheims or Clermont-Ferrand where landscape and track could work together to create a distinctive sense of place – fitting for a national venue. Only the speed hillclimb was built and opened in 1993, becoming a popular and well used motor sport venue run by Monklands Sporting Car Club. This is a collection of some of the drawings of the project showing the development of the idea through various configurations.

The plan shown below was the original scheme proposed by Monklands District Council.

The second plan below is a greatly enlarged proposal with a club circuit and associated development intended to help finance the project.

The plan below originates from early 1996 and shows a larger more flexible arrangement of circuits but with a greater land take and more associated development.

The next plan dating from mid 1996 was a stripped down, more compact proposal with less associated development and smaller facility buildings.

In late 1996 the track round the reservoir was abandoned in favour of building to the north on more stable ground.

Finally in 1997, this northern plan was developed with a longer circuit, more associated development and corporate facilities. It was this plan – shown below – that was granted planning permission.

Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire have appointed us to carry out an assessment of the economic impact that has been achieved by the Ayrshire Paths project, focusing specifically on the village of Straiton in South Ayrshire.

Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, with the support of local Councils, Scottish Natural Heritage and other bodies has proved a network of seemingly successful footpaths around Straiton, and other villages, but to undertake further work on footpath development, it is considered necessary to quantify the economic benefits of the work undertaken so far.

We will carry out a Baseline Review to consider the impact of tourism upon Straiton prior to the initiative through consultation with lead agencies, community representatives and tourism operators in and around the village.

A Benchmark Review will then examine the economic impact of walking in towns within Scotland. Finally a Current Use Survey should examine the behaviour, attitudes and spending patterns of walkers in and around Straiton using two questionnaire surveys of representative samples of visitors and locals during mid-April 2003 and mid-August 2003.

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of and produce outline proposals for the development of a personal watercraft and APV centre to be located at a former opencast coal site at Piperhill near Ochiltree in Ayrshire. The main areas of work involved identifying and quantifying the likely market for the venture, devising a layout and scale of development to maximise the viability of the project, preparing an indicative business plan and assessing the likely economic and social impacts of the project.

Situated in the former iron and steel manufacturing town of Coatbridge near Glasgow, Summerlee is an open air facility with working machinery, a tramway, canal, coal mine and industrial village. The practice was commissioned as lead consultant by North Lanarkshire Council to carry out a study of this industrial museum.

The objective of the study was to identify areas for future development which would enhance the facility as a visitor attraction, encourage and develop partnership funding and develop new audiences which maximise opportunities for income generation.

A study for Scottish Borders Enterprise in association with Mackay Consultants of Inverness. This work examined the feasibility of proposals for a visitor attraction based on the heritage of Scottish motor sport in and around Duns. The principal part of the proposal was for a new museum based around the Jim Clark Room but other proposals included the re-use of Charterhall Circuit the expansion of the Jim Clark Trail and other interpretive work.

The Greenock Cut was constructed in the 1820s to provide water and power for the burgeoning industries of the area and remained in use until the 1970s.

We were asked by Scottish Natural Heritage to produce a master plan for the restoration of this Scheduled Ancient Monument to examine how the local community might be involved in the work and to make recommendations on appropriate management structures and sources of financial assistance.

There is a Greenock Cut photoset here.

Enterprise Ayrshire commissioned this study which looked at the contribution motor sport could make to the tourism effort in Ayrshire. The study examined motor sport in the Scottish context and at the ability of particular events to attract visitor numbers.

Recommendations were made for the support of events and facilities which at very little cost could attract an additional 45,000 visitors to Ayrshire each year.

The images were taken at the Daily Record Race Meeting at Turnberry Airfield in 1952. The top image shows the start of the main race. Mike Hawthorn is driving a Thinwall Special on pole No 54. The winner was Reg Parnell (BRM No 53), 2nd was Ken Wharton (BRM No 52) and in 3rd place was Ron Flockhart (ERA No 48). The bottom image shows Mike Hawthorn receiving his trophy in the centre of the picture. (both images and information courtesy of Bill Henderson, Photographer).

Proposals for the development of a 2.6 mile international standard circuit and associated industrial development on vacant land and former runways at Teesside International Airport. Designing an interesting track with reasonable viewing and shelter for spectators is difficult on airfield sites but this layout overcomes many of these problems and works well with existing landscape features. The proposal included a 1.6 mile club circuit, a kart facility and rallycross course

Design and implementation of a 1030m hill climb track as part of a proposed international motor racing complex near Kirk o’ Shotts in Central Scotland. The project was the first purpose built hill climb track in the United Kingdom to be completed since Brooklands in the 1930s. The track was designed to merge with the landscape of the area and looks ‘as if it had always been there’. The hill climb has developed into a popular and successful venue.

Monklands Sporting Car Club manage the site and organise events there and there are some short video clips on YouTube of various competitors on the track. Here is an example: