Mission Statement
This project aims to provide the local community with a positive, engaging and natural environment that encourages users to enjoy the natural world in a safe, usable and happy landscape. Trencreek will provide hybrid space of allotments, wildlife habitat, areas for contemplation, spaces for educational purposes and areas that aid in the positive health and well being of it’s users.
The project will provide not only benefits to the local community, but will also provide many economic benefits for the Environment Service Team, with areas to grow, cultivate and produce many of the services needs. This project will provide people with the spaces required to unwind, learn, relax and flourish in, all within an accessible location for all users.
Overall, this scheme is about people, the environment and how providing a space suitable for multiple needs will help strengthen the bond within the local community, whilst working in partnership with Newquay Town Council.
Introduction
Allotments have an image of old, run-down and makeshift plots that are mainly used by a select few people, a select few people who do not represent the whole community. This project aims to re-invent how allotments are viewed, used and how people engage with one another. Trencreek allotments have suffered from decades of minimal management, fly tipping and is now an overgrown eyesore for the local community.
The site is approx. 2000m2 split between two different locations, set within a natural wooded area on its boundary and housing on its western boundary. Because of the location and topography of the site, the site has the potential to incorporate many different user groups from the local community, which include a school, local housing and Newquay Town Council’s Environment Service.
Current plans are to level the site and remove all unwanted vegetation and to survey the area, to then offer a design that provides a multitude of services the local community will use, look after and ultimately be proud of for generations to come..
Project Design Brief
The followin will be requirements for the scheme to provide a high quality finish for it’s users, using sustainable, ecologically friendly, responsibly sources materials suitable for the local climate and environment , within a design layout incorporates:
- Multifunctional spaces – Educational, social and private
- Allow the potential for financial revenue
- Access – suitable for all people, including pathways for disabilities
- Provide all year round access – including footpaths and parking spaces for the ES team
- Provide diverse and innovative ‘green’ solutions that add to bio-diversity.
- Be inclusive for all users – Offer space to allow all users to learn, grow and enjoy
- Provide areas that are unique and engaging for users groups
- Provide an overall design scheme that is safe for all ages and users
Specific key design features need to be considered such as:
- Offer shelter for outdoor gatherings
- To provide water and electric
- To Provide an area for refreshments
- To provide an area for personal hygiene – toilets and cleaning facilities
- Contain an area that is multi-functional – with the potential for all weather use
- To provide bespoke planting beds suitable for all users
The Site
The site is split between two different locations (Fig. 3.). Site one is located on Trencreek Road and site two is located in Carpmael Avenue. Site one is south west facing, is relatively flat, however, there is a slight slope running north eat to south west. Site one has a clear well defined boundary which separates it from the surrounding landscape, of which is a railway track, residential gardens and what seems to be a brown field site to the north east.
Sire two (Fig. 5.) is more complex, it is west facing due to the south boundary been large vegetation, such as trees and hedges. Within the area there are several level changes including two tiers on the western side. North, east and west of the space is surrounded by well defined boundaries that give the space good protection from the elements. Site one has two active tenant.
The Surrounding Area
Trencreek allotments (Fig. 6. & Fig. 7. highlighted in green.) are situated on Trencreek Road and Carpmael Avenue. The allotments are located within a key built up area close to Newquay Tretherras Secondary School, Trencreek Holiday Park, Hendra Holiday Park and Morrisons Supermarket (Fig. 7. Highlighted in red).
The site has great access for vehicular parking which directly in front of both spaces, however, this area is currently used by local homeowners. The main road road known as Trencreek Road provides a direct route into Newquay and is relatively busy due to the amenities mentioned above. A local railway track is directly south of the lower site (Fig. 6.)
Design Approach
The design approach for both sites is to use modern, sustainable design practices, that encourage, help and provide spaces for all people to use, throughout the year. The design approach will focus on similar sites from around the world where modern allotment design helps bring people together by interacting with nature. Essentially using successful precedents from these locations and combining their design choices within a scheme that will be suitable for Trencreek Allotments.
Traditional allotment spaces are limited in their ability to be used by all people, such as less able bodied people, the young and those who may be unfamiliar of the natural world. What this scheme aims to do is to provide a design approach that draws inspiration from the following sites that have been succeeded in bringing multiple users together within a user friendly design.
These sites range from traditional allotment spaces such as an urban allotment design (Fig. 8.) to Horatio’s Garden who are a charity creating beautiful accessible gardens in NHS spinal injury centres (Fig. 9.) and finally educational gardens such as Highgate Primary School (Fig. 10.) which enables young children to learn about the natural world in a safe, friendly and inviting environment.
The key to a successful design is to make all aspects of the design inclusive, and to pay close attention to detail. Key details such as, height of beds to help people with disabilities, to the width of walkways for clear and safe access using surface treatments for all year usage and the type of materials used for features, beds, borders and other aspects of the design.
A design approach is sustainable locally sourced materials, that are suitable for the local climate and environment whilst having the longevity of life that is required for all year round use is key to help provide the infrastructure for locally produced vegetation that can be utilised by all user groups.
