Book Final Aw

INTERCONNECTIONS

We would like to thank All the local residents who took part Pupils and teachers from Bolton Brow Primary School & Copley Primary School Young people and staff from the Sowerby Bridge Youth Group Lindsay Smales Artists Catherine Sweeney and Gillian Brent Poet James Nash Chris Snell, Play England Calderdale College Design Definition Calderdale Council Access Moving Image Norman Lane, Sowerby Bridge Community Forum Rev James Allison, UCVR Yorkshire Forward

INTERCONNECTIONS A GUIDE TO INTERCONNECTING THE TWO PLACES OF SOWERBY BRIDGE AND COPLEY VALLEY BY THE LOCAL COMMUNITY OF THE AREA THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO LIVE WORK AND PLAY AND EMBRACE ART AND NATURE TO CREATE A NEW PLACE AT THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY 2008/09

Foreword is the largest ansformational Project Tr y lle Va y ple Co e ed idg The Sowerby Br ich will bring much need wh y, lle Va r lde Ca r pe Up rkshire regeneration site in the ea. The Council and Yo ar e th to ing us ho ily m employment and fa omic contributor to not on ec y ke a ing be as e sit gion. Forward see this flagship t also the Leeds City Re bu , ct tri dis ale rd lde Ca only the y, the Upper Calder Valle in s wn to er rtn pa its th wi issance Sowerby Bridge, along s groundbreaking Rena d’ ar rw Fo ire sh rk Yo to e culmination was the first to sign up formational project is th ns tra is Th e. m m ra rby og pr Market Towns complete will give Sowe ce on d an ing rk wo ip of six years of partnersh life. Bridge a new lease of rby tic opportunity for Sowe as nt fa a s ide ov pr ct oje mixed use The transformational pr side and create a new er riv e th up en op ll wi Bridge, one that c realm, and improved bli pu ty ali qu h hig th wi re project quarter in the town cent n. The transformational tio sta ay ilw ra e th to ity r Valley pedestrian connectiv out in the Upper Calde t se s ion at pir as e th th er will aim to deliv uced following a 12 mon od pr s wa ich wh t en m cu lley. Renaissance Vision do s in the Upper Calder Va itie un m m co al loc e th consultation with eing uncil look forward to se Co ale rd lde Ca d an d Both Yorkshire Forwar of this exciting project. y er liv de l sfu es cc su e th lderdale Council ion & Development, Ca rat ne ge Re r lde Ho lio rtfo Cllr Amanda Byrne, Po

Contents Introduction Design Identity Play Nature Connectivity Sustainability

Introduction Interconnections engage d the local community in generating design idea s for the Sowerby Copley Transformational Projec t.

BLOM Pictometry 2007. © Copyright 2006, Pictometry International Corp.

Visioning workshops an d an Open Day were he ld with members of the lo cal community focusin g on the design of the pu blic realm, gateways, bridges and public art. In spirational sessions wer e also delivered with two primary schools from th e area to explore the pote ntial for designing and developing playable sp aces within the site and evening workshops wer e organised with the loca l youth group that looked specifically at the need for ‘hang out’ areas. A local college were also involved in developing potential proposals for a brand and identity fo r the Sowerby Copley Tr ansformational Project.

All ideas that the emerged from ork consultation w d into were combine 6 key the following themes: Design Identity Play Nature Connectivity Sustainability

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New bridges, footbrid ges and gateways should be visually and mentally stimulating the use of public art an d help the community to navigate the site.

The use o f local and natural m be explore aterials sh d, looking ould into where have com the materi e from, ho als w they ha how long ve been p they will la ro duced, st etc. Keeping th e local cha racter of th developm e area - se ent. nsitive There is a desire for communa engage a l spaces w ll members hich of the com munity. The publi c realm m ust have c representa haracter a tive of the nd be area, with carpet/tex themes su tiles, usin ch as g colours context, u that suit th sing recyc e led materi stone. als and na tural

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Design should focus on making the natural areas useable in term s of seating, lighting, safety, walkways, obse rvational platforms etc, and enhancing the natural beauty of the site.

Identity

Identity This theme recognises that Sowerby Bridge and Copley Valley are steeped in history and that there is a local desire to build on the existing heritage to help shape a new

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identity for the development.

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e ld and n o f munity. o m n o c io t g a n u a stro Contin es them k a m h whic ic nd spirit a e econom id r p io l c a o c s o L ave would h m is r u o of t gement a r u o c n E he tive of t a t n e s s it f e repr bene r and be e t c a r a e ch ust hav m t r a c nt Publi vironme n e l a c . rd area their lo ut forwa ents to p m o t e v y o it r ortun e imp the opp nt to se e a v w a h le o p Peo ant t s and w ie it il c a f and ws. their vie

Key Points There could be a range of audiences and stakeholders for the new development, and the identity of the new area needs to appeal to all of them. Any identity must embrace the heritage of the area whilst still having an eye to the future, and reference local geography. Target markets for the new development could include light industry and businesses, residents and tourists. People could engage with the new area and its facilities through the development of a brand for the project and the development.

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Identity

Play The children and young people had lots of creative ideas on how the environment in and around the new development should look and feel. They hope that it will be designed with children and young people in mind as an important part of the future

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community.

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ated n g i s d de s n a s ll er Shelt raffiti wa g

Shelters

Hides and tree ho uses

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ou y e re r h ew yo u m So use ation can agin im

Key Points Site could include less formalised playable spaces with trees and other natural features such as boulders, where children have the freedom to build and play using natural and found materials.

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Due to the nature of the site the children felt that a skateboard park could be designed to fit into the natural landscape with grassy banks and soft outline forms rather than a hard edged urban concrete construction.

The child ren see t he whole setting a site as a nd think natural that man in the pla y of the b yable sp uilt elem aces and ents be made n a t u re reserv from nat e ural mat should and ston erials su e. c h a s wo od The majo rity of th e childre creative n enjoye play and d active the deve and to provid lo pment s e a rang h ould aim e of adv physical enturous activities and thril which st ling imaginat r e t c h ions - ke their bod e ies and n for per activity b manent ased fac a nd flexib ilities. le

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Play

Key Poin ts

Ideas relating to nature were mentioned by all stakeholder groups, in particular the preservation and enhancement of the

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natural environment.

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Family Enjoyment

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Pu bli c

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Nature Key Points

Key Points

The nature reserve could incorporate a trail which should be easily accessible to wa lkers and cyclists to be used as a place for relaxation an d leisure. Providing a wildlife ha bitat – wildfife corrido rs, natural wetlands. Providing opportunities for learning e.g. public art trails, allotments, family enjo yment. The development shou ld be accessible to walkers and should be valued.

rve could be marked by se re re tu na e th to es Entranc ion boards ulpture and interpretat gateway features or sc und. ies of wildlife can be fo ec sp al loc at wh g tin indica ture yone realise that the na These would help ever ted as and should be respec e ac pl ial ec sp a is e reserv such. tand the value of the The community unders nefits as al and educational be gic olo ec l, ta en m on vir en n to escape from moder ce pla a be uld wo it w well as ho

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urban life.

Connectivity

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There is a need to improve physical connections between Sowerby Bridge and Copley Valley and develop stronger links to the Upper Calder Valley renaissance initiative.

develop s Valley w tronger links t o initiati ide renaissanc the ve e

s w e i v s u Gorgeo

Trail - F o cycle tr llow the river, c ac a informa ks. Along the nal w t in unex ion, images an ay find pected p d stories l a c e s . Educati o Wayfin nal and ding too l.

At Vi trac s t De itors s Sa tina Li fe, W tion tR e ou ll te s

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Trail – ent movemh throug ce the spa

Key Points It would be highly desir able to have safe, well lit routes as an alternative to Wakef ield Road which childre n and young people living in the ne w residential developm ent could use to walk or cycle to scho ol, Sowerby Bridge an d other destinations. Young people want pl aces where they can cy cle safely for pleasure.

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The site could be deve loped to attract more vis itors to the area and could becom e a destination to visit wi th a cafe/ outdoor spaces/ art spec tacle/ play areas and wa ter features.

ints Key Po

n in s positio it d n a e f the sit e an nature o e h t rby Bridg e o t w o S Due d an new o Copley g for the in n n la free relation t p rt of the afe, traffic a s p e t t n a a e t r r c impo e to the t would b y, linking n e e ll a m v p e lo h ss t deve nature and acro iver and g r n l, lo a a n a s c e rout reas, hops. nd play a a l ia t n ols and s e o h c s resid l a c ith the lo s reserve w er acces tt e b te a ld cre an site shou e th r uld have fo o s h s n la d p n The anals a rs and c '. e iv r e h t alkability to 'w f o e s n g se interestin

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Connectivity

Sustainability The majority of participants had a good understanding of environmental issues and were keen to explore the sustainability

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of the developing site and community.

a o rpo r c n i e e lan e. Cycl ivers edg the r

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r igns fo The des eme should this sch ue, be uniq mentally environ able and sustainry visiona

Concern units wi about how the in side. Potell look from the vdustrial alley ntially u se: Low prof ile sedum roofs Vertical g ardens Solar pa nels Eco stati on and b ike hire A ‘friend s o for Natu f…’ associatio re reser ve n

on to h i t a t S o Ec om bikes fr

ation Preservpansion and ex re of natu

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cal new i d a r e g ndaries ncoura e u o h b c i l h a w su g the u lutions o n s i h e s v i u t scheme “Crea g by p s i n h i t k r n o i sf f th le design e ways o h stainab t u t s a h y t l l an ta onmen can me r i v n e , que are uni ual” and vis st) y, Arti e n e e w ine S (Cather 35

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ints Key Po

Sustainability Key Po

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ACCESS: Prams Pedestrian Disabled River Bridges

Tourism ion Recreat e Trail Heritag

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ints Sustain a b incorpo le design an rating v isual aed eco friendly – sthetics The des i. e . g r een roo environ igns for this sc fs. mentall h e m e sh y sustain able an ould be unique Preserv d vision , ation an ary. d expan sion of Local c nature. o m process munity part ic to creat e a sustipation – key to ainable Creatio commu whole n o f nity. a ‘f nature r eserve. riends of’ asso ciation for the

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Dvd Beam and Yorkshire Fo rward commissioned Access Moving Image to produce 2 short films:

: Interconnections h ug ro th n contributio umenting oc D consultation. ultation the creative cons process.

What’s the story? An inside look at the Sowerby Bridge Copley Valley Transformational Project. Providing an insight into the wider community’s hopes and fears for the development.