WMUD

conceptual, strategic and development work in urban design, town making, city planning, urbanism and place-making

St Helier’s character

This animation of the historical development of the beautiful Channel Islands town of St Helier was part of our study for the States of Jersey in 2005.

The study was commissioned by the Planning and Environment Department of the States of Jersey and originated in the Island Plan which was approved in July 2002. In particular, Policy BE1 stated that:

“The Planning and Environment Committee will initiate an appraisal of the urban character and townscape of the town of St. Helier as an aid to the process of preserving and enhancing its character and in guiding policy formulation and the assessment of planning applications”.

The appraisal of the urban character of the town coupled with design guidance for each character area forms the core of the study. The guidance is set in a strategic policy context which identifies potential change in each area and makes proposals for conservation and physical intervention. The design guidance could enable the States of Jersey to take a new approach to assessing and processing planning applications.

St Helier UCA Report Cover

The complete Final Report is available to download from the States of Jersey website (in chapters). and includes sections on the methodology, the key findings, issues from urban design perspective and proposition for the content of future planning guidance.

Our co-consultants were Drew Mackie Associates (consultation), Yellow Book Ltd (strategic vision), Gordon Urquhart (historical research and conservation) and Malcolm Fraser Architects (interventions).

See also our companion study of the Local Distinctiveness of Bolton Town Centre.

There is a image gallery of St Helier here.

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December 28th 2009
Tags: communities, place making, small towns, waterfronts

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Kirkcudbright Harbour Square

The Kirkcudbright Forum commissioned Willie Miller Urban Design (WMUD), Malcolm Fraser Architects and Nick Wright Planning in June 2009 to prepare a Shared Vision for Harbour Square in Kirkcudbright. The purpose of the work was to produce a community endorsed plan for the site which was both practical and deliverable. ...
December 18th 2009
Tags: communities, frameworks, place making, small towns, strategy, waterfronts

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Stromness Urban Design Framework

WMUD were commissioned by Orkney Islands Council in March 2008 to produce an urban design framework including an economic appraisal and strategy for the town. The purpose of the urban design framework was to provide a strategic overview which would coordinate existing projects and act as the basis for ...
December 11th 2009
Tags: communities, neighbourhood, place making, small towns

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Knockroon New Neighbourhood

Willie Miller Urban Design was commissioned to coordinate and submit an outline planning application on behalf of the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment (TPFBE) for Knockroon near Cumnock in Ayrshire. The Prince's Foundation see Knockroon as being an exemplar neighbourhood for Cumnock, East Ayrshire and indeed for Scotland - it ...
December 11th 2009
Tags: communities, frameworks, place making, small towns

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Castlederg Community Vision and Masterplan

We have been appointed by Strabane District Council to prepare a Community Vision and Masterplan for the Castle site in Castlederg. The aim of the project is to create a shared vision for the redevelopment of the Castle site as a shared space in the town. This will be ...
December 3rd 2009
Tags: cities, comment, communities, frameworks, place making

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Edgeland and the Olympics

As a follow on from the post here almost two years ago entitled Terrain Vague: place and landscape and Stephen Gill's photographic work in the Lower Lea Valley, this video which has been around for a few months on Vimeo, draws attention to the destruction of land, common land, allotments ...