Scheme forms part of wider 4,000-home development
Plans for a district centre at the heart of the Wichelstowe development in Swindon have been approved. The scheme, designed by BDP, aims to create a vibrant hub for the growing community, which will eventually encompass 4,000 homes.
The development is located on both sides of the Wilts & Berks Canal, providing a new focal point for public activities and services. The approved plans, submitted in two separate applications by Swindon Borough Council, include two zones: Canalside East and Canalside West.
The district centre is intended to offer flexible spaces for day and evening use throughout the year.
Nick Ellis, associate architect at BDP, said: “New neighbourhoods are vital in providing the much-needed housing that the country so desperately needs; however, it is also crucial to create a vibrant centre to help knit the community together and of course make them enjoyable places to live.
“The mixture of uses is key to ensuring the area caters to everyone’s needs and that the space is used and enjoyed at different times of the day and year. We have put great thought into the design of the district centre to promote social cohesion with lots of outdoor and indoor communal space, whilst making the most of the canal and including plenty of greenery.”
Canalside West will include a health centre with a pharmacy next door, as well as a community centre and workspace located on the upper levels. Four retail units, designed to accommodate restaurants, shops, and cafes, will feature a covered walkway at the front. Above these units, there will be 12 one and two bedroom apartments.
Canalside East will house a gym with space for a café, which will connect to the towpath along the canal. This side of the development will also feature 14 one- and two-bedroom apartments above the ground-floor facilities.
Both areas will be linked by a public square, which is envisioned as a space for markets, events, and other leisure activities. A footbridge over the canal will connect the development to towpaths for walking, jogging, and cycling.
BDP’s design incorporates sustainability and biodiversity measures, including a biodiverse roof and solar panels.
BDP also provided landscape architecture and mechanical and electrical services for the project.
The Wichelstowe development is one of the largest local authority joint ventures in the UK, delivered by Swindon Borough Council in partnership with Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes.
No comments yet