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.