THE RESIDENTS’ PLAN
THE RESIDENTS’ PLAN
The plan was based essentially on the primary goal of rehousing the existing population in two- and three-storey terrace housing, and is illustrated in the plan shown (Figures 9.40–9.44). The aim to retain the identity of the Lower and Upper Markets areas as an expression of the heritage of the community while at the same time ensuring that they do not suffer physical separation, led to the decision that Cromac Street should be sunk 6 m (20 ft) as it passes through the Markets Area. Across part of the lowered Cromac Street it was proposed to build a platform on which was to be sited the new Cromac Square containing an open market surrounded by shops and community buildings. East Bridge Street runs along the northern boundary of the area and is another major traffic route which poses a serious threat to environmental standards. Along this road it was decided to locate a 30 m (100 ft) strip of small industries to act as a barrier between the housing and the traffic. The two schools serving the area were planned to occupy one campus of three acres sited on the derelict abattoir adjacent to the railway line. Car parking was considered by the residents to
be a luxury which should be provided within the curtilage of each home and only at the request of the individual. Therefore, the plan was designed to provide the opportunity of accommodating one car- parking space in the yardspace of each home if required. The type of housing preferred by the community was dual-aspect terrace housing with a small private yard at the back, a communal garden or paved area at the front and road access to the yard. This type of housing was chosen from a range of house types and layouts discussed with the management committee which finally decided that the first layout shown in Figure 9.42 was most suited to their purposes. An important consideration
URBAN DESIGN: STREET AND SQUARE
CASE STUDIES IN URBAN DESIGN
in planning the area was a conscious attempt to link it with the surrounding areas. Pedestrian routes link the housing, the shops and community buildings with St Malachy’s Church and the city centre in the west and across the Lagan to Ormeau Park in the east. Finally, the plan was devised bearing in mind that this is an inner-city location and that the term ‘a pleasant residential environment’ in such a situa- tion requires a different interpretation from a sub- urban context. Thus the plan purposely encouraged
a mixing of land uses which it was believed to be in character with the Markets.
ANALYSIS OF PLAN FORM The residents’ plan for the Markets as described and illustrated here is the result of ideas developed by lay people without professional knowledge of architec- ture, urban design or planning. The finished plan for the area, however, demonstrates that the residents involved in this exercise clearly understand and subscribe to the norms of good design outlined in
Figure 9.41 Residents’ plan, layout, Belfast Figure 9.42 Housing options
URBAN DESIGN: STREET AND SQUARE
Figure 9.43 Phasing plan
Figure 9.44 Residents’ plan: axonometric
CASE STUDIES IN URBAN DESIGN
this text. How far the principles of good design are
tion emigration. A significant emigration of families
simply the codified common-sense behaviour of a
from the area would have reduced the strength and
long tradition is impossible to determine.
viability of the community, leaving the way free to
Nevertheless it is worth noting that the aim of the
develop the land for other purposes. A further
plan was to make this one area and to mitigate the
pressure for speedy action was thought, by this
worst effects of dividing it by a traffic route – in
Catholic community, to be the fragile state of the
other words, to form a unified development.
experimental power-sharing government with its
Secondly, the residents wished to establish a clear
Catholic and Nationalist Minister of Development.
centre as a focus for the community. The creation of
This was thought by the leaders of the Markets
a centre, as both Alexander and Norberg-Schulz
community to be a window of opportunity, a time
attest, is a primary aim for any development and a
when they might expect sympathetic treatment.
significant act in the quest for unity. 32 The commu-
Members of the planning executive were invited
nity was determined to create a strong boundary, or,
to meet key residents and the planning projects in Lynch’s terms, edge, to the development. 33 teams to discuss the rebuilding of the Markets. After
Industrial sites in the south, the railway and river to
a presentation of the residents’ plan the government
the east were continued in the north and north-west
team accepted the general goals of the plan with
by a narrow barrier of industry. Entrance to the
the exception of the sunken Cromac Street. Since it
housing areas was restricted to few clearly defined
was calculated that the sinking of Cromac Street
portals ensuring privacy for the community or
would have cost about £1.5 million (1973 prices)
perhaps, more importantly in Belfast, security; a
more than its simple widening at ground level – a
perfectly defensible space. At the most secure place
decision in favour of this aspect of the plan would
was located the school with its back to the railway
have required central government approval in
line and river and faced at the front by friendly
London and this would have involved further time-
housing. Finally, the community’s choice of urban
consuming negotiations. The community leaders
design forms for the development were the street
were told that if they accepted this amendment to
and square, the main spatial elements of the tradi-
the plan then an architect would be appointed
tional city. Of course the plan is not a complete unity
immediately to work with them in an attempt to
but this is rarely achieved in practice and for most
achieve the remaining planning goals.
projects it remains an ideal never quite achieved.
The full committee of the residents’ association met to discuss the implications of the views expressed by the planners from Stormont. A long
IMPLEMENTATION
and lively discussion ensued. The general mood of
The residents’ plan for the Markets was unanimously
the meeting was to press on with their own plan
adopted by the community at a public meeting in
but the worry about the need for speed was a
the area where it was exhibited and explained using
constraint on their natural inclinations. The
slides, models, axonometric and other drawings.
argument was finally resolved by one of the wise
Implementation of the plan, however, was depen-
old men present. He said: ‘Sure, Cromac Street
dent on the agreement of many agencies in addition
won’t be widened for years. We should say yes to
to the local community. Those agreements were
the present proposal, get the houses built, then later
required speedily. Without early agreement on an
say no to the widening of Cromac Street.’ This bit
acceptable plan, housing conditions would have
of lateral thinking won the day.
deteriorated further and the community would have
An architect was appointed to work with the
become disheartened so triggering a further popula-
community on a revised plan for the Markets Area.
URBAN DESIGN: STREET AND SQUARE
Figure 9.45 Markets Area: approved plan
CASE STUDIES IN URBAN DESIGN
Figure 9.46 Markets Area: amended plan
When completed the plan was presented to a public
with small bedrooms in order to achieve the high
inquiry on 12 September 1974. The community did
densities necessary to rehouse the total population.
not object to the proposals which were approved
However, additional land was acquired when a local
and formed the basis of the present development.
bakery closed and there was a slight fall in the
The plan, however, was amended during implemen-
number of families to be rehoused which made it
tation in a number of significant details (Figures
possible in later phases to build at slightly lower
densities using wide-frontage housing (Figure 9.47).
Looking at the development so far completed it is
The plan, as built, isolates the Upper from the
clear that the main goal of the community has been
Lower Markets by a proposed six-lane dual carriage-
achieved, those families wishing to remain in the
way; this is no longer one physical neighbourhood.
area have been able to do so. They have also been
The centre for the neighbourhood was never
accommodated in terrace housing, an important
completed nor is there any intention to do so in the
requirement of the community. During the later
future. The defensive screen of industry has been
stages of redevelopment, because of community
replaced by a housing shield, a reasonable substitute
pressure the house type was changed for the better.
if as appears there is no demand for small-scale
The original plan employed narrow-frontage housing
workshops. Only half of the houses proposed by the
URBAN DESIGN: STREET AND SQUARE
Figure 9.47 Completed Markets Area
CASE STUDIES IN URBAN DESIGN
community for conservation have been preserved,
Figure 9.48 Town Hall,
the rest were demolished. It is interesting to note
Newark, by Carr of York
that the buildings retained are only those listed by the Historic Buildings and Monuments branch of the Department of the Environment. The Victorian buildings described by the occupants as good homes to live in and designated by the community for conservation were not retained. The houses that have been built, though a vast improvement on the previous housing stock, are surburban in character. They do not preserve the idea of the street architec- ture of Belfast so loved by the community. It will be interesting to see how the residents adapt to this new housing form. A school campus is part of the
Figure 9.49 Rehabilitation,
development but it now occupies a non-defensible
Market Square, Newark
space with a frontage to Cromac Street. Since the school population will not be drawn entirely from the Markets this is probably a reasonable change from the residents’ plan.
The Markets community has achieved, after lengthy negotiation and much hard work, its main aim. The community still exists and is housed in the sort of dwellings it demanded, The disappointing feature of the whole process is the end product which has few of the urban design qualities and ideas which the residents were able to inject into their own plan. This is not a criticism of the archi- tects of the project; they had a difficult job reconcil- ing the views of the residents with the planners at City Hall and Stormont.