Thursday, November 22, 2012

New planned Marina Quays in Stourport

Ah good the plans for the new marina complex down on Sandy Lane has gone public. This is something I've known about in general for over two months now but I was asked not to comment until things firmed up. Nicely the information I have is a match for the information made public for the initial public consultation so I don't have to scan in my sheets.

In blunt this is a similar concept to the Water's Edge development that was built down on Mart Lane, but writ large and incorporating a commercial infrastructure. Okay it's still down on Sandy Lane Industrial Estate, but it is set at the edge rather than in the middle (unlike so many of the council-approved caravan pitches) and it may induce some work on the road network itself rather than the current wilful neglect currently being shown to it.

Most importantly this will link in to the current riverside pathway and the forthcoming gateway at the old Lloyds Garage site. Sure it's a nice walk as is, but it's just a walk - there's no true destination; you get so far and then just turn around (unless you want a really long walk). With a picnic area and businesses at either end it becomes a nice destination. Park in town and rather than just plonk yourself down on the Riverside Meadow take a nice walk through the basins and rest at the Marina Quays; hell if they add a small playground area they've catered for the kids too.

So that's all the good things; any nagging flaws I can see in the plans? A few, but rather pleasantly nothing truly major.

As I've just said adding a small playground area to the picnic site would be a bonus; particularly given that these are supposed to be holiday apartments anything that draws kids towards the river and down the path to town is better than letting them wander the estate

There's no current interior design so it's difficult to tell if the apartments will fill both sides; having a view over the river is nice. A view over the estate not so nice unless they add some tall trees to act as a visual shield; in which case that may cast a section of the estate into shadow given the sun path. Despite the angles and structure means that the riverside windows should get sun morning, noon and night would be nice to see the sun paths though.

Car-parking looks to be ample which is a surprise given the underestimates so many seem to provide, but the plans miss out on lighting. Also given the current thick tree screen between itself and Lincomb Lock Caravan Park an environmental check is likely to be carried out. A good opportunity for lights that don't leak as much light out and upwards which would also maintain a visible night sky for residents.

I would also switch the locations of the the storage shed (8) and cycle storage (7); putting the cycles between the storage and the dry boat storage seems sub-optimal to me

The location of the club house is well placed, but one hopes that the gym, restaurant and bar will be open to non-residents; in the same spirit examination of the route to the club house from the main pathway might need re-examination. As it stands I can easily see people cutting across directly to Nelson Road which isn't exactly amenable to pedestrian traffic.

Finely I come to the bridge which will span the entrance to the berths... hmmm. From the 3D this seems a little afterthought-ish. The visuals show masted boats that quite clearly won't fit under the displayed bridge unless the masts are collapsible (which they may well be, not my field). If it is the case that such vessels will be using the quay the bridge is likely to have to be much taller than any of the others at the basin. So it's either going to be steep or extend over a large distance. Not a problem, but as it will act as the riverside gateway aesthetics are important.

All-in-all I'm surprised at how well this has been laid out how nice it looks in visuals and how pleasant it is to have someone presenting such large plans as an actual "proposal" to be commented on rather than the done deals we've been fobbed off with time after time.

Well worth residents taking the time to look over.