ALBION SQUARE

Supplementary Development Brief Guidance

October 2016

Planning Services – Development Delivery – Urban Design –Development Briefs – Albion Square- ALBION SQUARE 2016

October 2016

Contents 1. Introduction

2. Current Situation(Plan)

3. Modified Rationale

4. Vision

5. Indicative Plan

6. Detail

1. Introduction Since the Development Brief was produced in 2011, Hull has

moved on. The Humber’s successful Enterprise Zone

extension bid in 2015 sees 14 new sites covering 750.6ha

added to the existing Enterprise Zone; Albion Square is one

of those sites. A new strategic City Plan programmes a

series of investments and actions to regenerate the city for the

21st Century. Hull has been successful in attaining City of

Culture status for 2017. These Developments have created

an impetus and a focus has fallen on Albion Square for the

site of an Ice Arena to replace the existing one on

Commercial Road/English Street.

The Publication Consultation version of the emerging Local

Plan has allocated 20,000m2 of Net Retail floor space to the

site and a requirement for 270 residences .

There is also an expectation to site a Multi storey Car Park

at Albion Square to replace the surface car park.

The north edge of the site is bounded by The Georgian New

Town Conservation Area, where Albion Street features a

fine example of unspoilt Georgian Terraced Housing street

frontage. This is an opportunity to consolidate an area of

quality and charm in the City Centre.

Bond Street is an underused dual carriageway currently used

as a section of the City Centre Bus Loop. One Carriageway

could be closed and used as public realm, parking and

facilitate junction geometry for large service vehicles.

Jameson Street/King Edward Street is high footfall and the logical location for the main pedestrian access to the complex.

Location Plan

Site boundary

Listed Building

Local Listed Building

Conservation Area

Pedestrian Zones

Access Point

Surface Car Park

Edwin Davies (Vacant)

Coop (Vacant)

BHS (uncertain)

Wilberforce Centre

Bus route

New theatre link

Possible Archaeology

2. Current Situation

3. Modified Rationale

The original development Brief was produced for Hull Forward

by consultants Arup’s based on an economic assessment by

Deloittes supported by local commercial property advisors in

2011. The rationale promoted was for the provision of grade A

office accommodation to be the then viable driver for

development on this site while taking account of contextual

relationships particularly the Maltings and Albion Street. The

recession has suppressed demand for Grade A office space

and other initiatives in the City Centre such as the innovative

C4Di with the support of ERDF funding have met the

anticipated demand. The impact of the likely loss of the BHS

store and Coop building were not considered.

The economy and direction of the City has moved on as

opportunities have changed such as the Local Enterprise

Partnership, City of Culture, the strategy of the City Plan and

the final version of the New Local Plan.

The BHS and former Coop building that forms the main

frontage of the site with Jameson Street has an uncertain

future due to the failure of BHS, structural and ownership

issues. This is open to redevelopment together with the

longstanding vacant Edwin Davies Building.

The Local Plan has a strongly evidenced case for around an

extra 52,000m2 of retail sales floorspace in the City in an

objective report on the impacts of out of centre shopping on

the City Centre, ‘Hull Retail and District Centres Study’

produced by Strategic Perspectives. It is estimated that

approximately 20,000m2 of retail sales floorspace could be

accommodated on the Albion Square Site, providing the

opportunity to create a strong retail anchor linked with the

relocation of the Ice Arena to the site. A decked car park to

replace existing surface level parking will be needed (a

standard available car park design at 6 levels (including roof)

will yield approximately 420 spaces). The strategy for the City

Centre is to seek to improve its overall draw as a visitor and

shopping destination, and it is considered proposed

development objectives for this site therefore help to achieve

this goal. The intention is that where shops are likely to

accommodate retailers that will serve a wide catchment

across the city and wider region, it is most appropriate that

these are located in Hull City Centre.

The Local Plan also identifies the need to provide

approximately 270 dwellings on the site as well as other main

town centre uses including offices – although these would be

ancillary to the main development priorities.

Albion Street has been largely refurbished as residential

reasonably successfully and has the potential to support

further complementary development as the neighbourhood

/urban village develops. The Albion square site can contribute

a complementary and positive addition to this trait.

Local Plan Policy 10 City Centre Mixed Use Sites.

1a) land at Albion Square(2.1 ha) will be developed for a

major retail led development with strong linkages provided to

Jameson Street and other parts of the Primary Shopping Area

of the City Centre. Other main town centre uses will be

supported on the site where they are ancillary to retail and do

not prevent this objective for the site being achieved. The site

should also be developed to accommodate approximately 270

dwellings. The current amount of parking on the site will be

retained through provision of a new multi storey car park.

The Wilberforce Health Centre has defined the Story Street

frontage and an area of public realm north of School Street.

The 1963 BHS/Coop building on Jameson Street features a monumental Italian glass mosaic called the three ships (currently locally listed but being reviewed for statutory listing) commissioned by the Cooperative Society, from the Artist Alan Boyson designer maker and then former lecturer at the School of Ceramics in the College of Art, Wolverhampton. The whole piece is 66 feet high x 64 feet wide. The face of the mural includes 4,224 foot-square slabs(each made up of 225 tiny glass cubes); altogether there are 1,061,775 pieces. The mosaic work was carried out by Richards Tiles Ltd (now part of Johnsons Tiles Ltd) and affixed by A. Andrews &Sons (Marble & Tiles) Ltd of Leeds who are still trading today. Inside there is also a giant 22ft ceramic marble and stone

sculpture of a shoal of fish at the skyline ballroom on the roof

by the same artist.

The original Development brief’s design guidance was

basically sound and still largely stands with regard to the

principles of development; however the current proposals and

some technical constraints modify the original approach.

4. Vision

There are several guiding principles that inform the way

elements of the regeneration of Albion Square contribute to

the immediate context, the strategic development of the City

Centre, and the attributes and status of the wider city.

Shopping – The Local Plan has an evidenced requirement for

the provision of 52,000m2 extra Retail space to supplement

and expand Hull City Centre’s attraction as a primary

shopping destination in the wider region.

Parking – a decked car park to replace the surface car park

provision is required to maintain the parking capacity of the

City Centre. (the structure needs to be open on two sides.)

Leisure – The Ice Arena is required to relocate from Kingston

Street. Albion Square has been selected as the preferred site

with a critical extent of proposed floorplate and parking

provision to service such a facility. The floor plate for the Ice

Arena is about 70 x 40 minimum(Olympic is slightly larger at

75 x45m), including the ice pad and peripheral area. This sets

the floorplate for at least one section of the development.

Conservation Area – the scheme needs to address the

resolution of Albion Street as a coherent Georgian urban

townscape in terms of enclosure, scale, bay widths and

rhythms.

Urban Village – The resolution of Albion Street can build on

the current community now established in the Georgian New

Town and lead on to developing and consolidating the

potential for a successful and attractive Urban Village.

Public realm/Environment – The current square needs

consolidating and animating with good enclosure and active

uses, supplementing the string of public realm spaces that run

through the City Centre. Waltham Street needs animation and

interest to change it from a service street to an appealing

pedestrian link through to Albion Square and the Bond Street

Bus Loop. Albion Street and the wider Georgian New Town

streets are currently stark, they need an improved inclusive,

residential neighbourhood character in the public realm

softening it with street trees interspersed with adequate on

street parking for residents and visitors. The style of Street

furniture and lighting columns can help unify and bolster the

character.

The current public realm improvements will deliver a

distinctive public space and public art at the King Edward

Street Jameson Street Junction.

Public art – as discussed above the Three Ships Mosaic and

Shoal of Fish Mosaic by Alan Boyson will be an important part

of the regenerated site.

Energy – the highest standard of structural/fabric energy

efficiency attainable will be encouraged and supported across

all elements in the site. The complex has the opportunity for a

combined heat and power plant driven by the Ice Arena’s

energy and heat exchange requirements.

Comprehensive Development Parcel / Incremental

Development– the site is currently seen as a Comprehensive

Development Parcel which would require a major investor to

develop out.

Partnership or incremental investment are potential options as

the elements of the site can be broken down into separate

parcels.

Retail/Leisure(Ice Arena)

Car Park

Residential

Office/Commercial

The elements would have to contribute to the resolution of the

Public Realm and potentially collaborate on a District Heating

System.

The City Council currently own the north of the site which has

the potential for some fragmentation under control which

could deliver the resolution of the square. Further acquisition

could expand and coordinate delivery on an incremental

basis.

By breaking the site down into smaller/specialised units the

scheme is opened up to smaller or specialised

investors/developers possibly some sourced locally.

This is an organic and flexible approach reflecting the way

settlements including the Georgian New Town originally

developed.

The site has been vacant since the Second World War and

has had developers comprehensive schemes proposed that

never were realised. Expanding the options to attract

Partnership Development such as at the Fruit market could

open the site to more investment opportunities.

Retail floor Space requirement Hull Local Plan Public

Consultation Document June 2016. - The estimate of

20,000m2 is superseded by the intervention of the Ice Arena

and some housing to meet the 270 unit requirement at the

appropriate Albion Street end of the site. On the indicative

layout a yield of approximately 16,000 m2 net retail space is

given.

Indicative Plan of Anticipated land

usage some fixed others flexible.

A1 Retail (fixed 18,500m2)

A1 Retail (flexible 2500m2)

Multi Storey Car Park (fixed

possible GF retail 1000m2)

B1 business (flexible C1, C3)

C3 Residential (flexible C1, B1)

D2 Ice Arena 70 x40m (fixed)

District heat and power

Expanded Public realm

Service access

Inclusive New Theatre/UTC

Link

Parking Access

Restricted residents/service Access

0 25 50 75 100metres

5. Albion Square 2016

5 – 6 storeys

6 – 8 storeys

5 – 5.5 storeys

4 – 4.5 storey

Scale

The architectural structure of the built

fabric will-

Help enclose spaces and streets;

Terminate views and provide

references;

Maximise the capacity of the site.

According to the Major Projects

Manager Buildings above 10 storeys

are problematic in terms of construction

with regard to the ground conditions in

the City Centre.

The character of the area is generally 3

– 5 storeys with the exception of

Kingston House at 13 storeys.

The main shopping element at

Jameson/King Edward Street is likely

to be limited to 3 storeys if the St.

Stephen’s and Princes Quay models

apply. Any further floors can

accommodate Leisure, storage and

supplementary uses. The Ice Arena is

recommended as a rooftop addition.

The determines the minimum footprint

of the supporting structure.

4 storey (5 levels)

4 storeys

6 – 8 storeys

4th and 5th storey

5 storeys

3.5 Georgian storeys

6. Detail

0 25 50 75 100metres

The proposed car park is a standard design with a precise

footprint (approximately 50 spaces per floor)so the required

number of parking spaces(150) will determine the scale(3

floors). This may allow for added levels that could

accommodate long stay or residents parking for the Georgian

New Town.

At Albion Square the Wilberforce Centre is 5 storeys because

the square is buried in the centre of the block there may be an

increased scale tolerance where the north and east sides

could support 6 – 8 storeys without overtopping the skyline at

Albion Street.

There is also the scope to match the Wilberforce Centre on

the corner of Story Street and Albion Street making a strong

architectural statement.

Albion Street is the

opportunity to match the

Georgian enclosure and

set back achieved

further up at Jarratt

Street. Where 3.5

Georgian storeys

equate to about 4 – 4.5

modern storeys.

Liverpool Georgian enclosure.

Bond Street is a meeting of two ends 21 st century massing at

the south end and Georgian proportions at the north end.

Kingston House should not influence the development of

Albion Square but coincidentally provides a similar sense of

scale and enclosure likely to characterise the development

edge of Albion Square on the west side of Bond Street.

Shops – the primary shopping accommodation is located at

the Jameson Street /King Edward Street corner opening on to

the Primary Shopping Area. The 3 ships mosaic will dominate

the corner but a strong entrance is needed to ensure the

building is legible as a shopping destination. An entrance

concourse/atrium is envisaged at this location.

Supplementary retail units at ground and possibly 2nd floor

level are seen to continue the shopping/leisure interest along

Waltham Street into Wilberforce Square where buildings on

the sunny East and North Sides would continue this perhaps

with more emphasis to the leisure offer.

At the corner of Bond Street/Albion Street there might be

scope for a convenience store.

Housing - the Albion Street environment subject to

appropriate public realm improvements is more appropriate

for bespoke residential development as well as flexible units

that can accommodate a proportion of residential units.

The intrinsic Georgian character of Albion Street can be

bolstered through the set back of houses reflecting the

basement set back opposite –( there may be an opportunity

for surface water mitigating ‘Rain gardens’ along the frontage

referencing the Georgian basement space.) Plot widths and

rhythms will also pick up the character and reflect the

characteristic rhythms of bays in the Georgian buildings.

Vertical proportions are also a strong element all of which can

be delivered successfully in contemporary architecture.

Kingston House was given enhanced scope through

government relaxation of permitted Development controls

over the conversion of offices to residential use. It is currently

recognised as a residential site contributing to the majority of

the 270 units identified in the Local Plan Publication

Document.

Car park- the displaced surface car parking (150 spaces) is

intended to be accommodated into a standard design decked

car park . This has the capacity to increase the parking offer

for the Skating Arena and additional City Centre Shopping

offer.

A technical requirement is to have at least 2 open sides. The

likely location would be determined by the access issues.

Jameson Street/King Edward Street are pedestrian areas and

inappropriate. Story Street has constrained access and little

capacity for queues. Albion Street is in the setting of a

Conservation Area and Listed buildings where a utilitarian

service character is inappropriate. Bond Street is the current

access for the surface car park and has the capacity to

accommodate traffic and service vehicles.

Car park /service yard –Bond Street works well as a service

street where service access to the shopping centre and Ice

Arena and can be provided. A service street on the north side

of the Ice Arena next to the car park could also provide an

open side to the car park helping with the ventilation

requirement. Vehicular access to the rear of the Albion Street

frontage will be required. Waltham Street will still be needed

for vehicular access to the Wilberforce Centre and rear of

King Edward Street as well as Story Street.

Public Realm – The Wilberforce Centre Development

partially delivered a square at the east side of the building.

The location of this does not make it unworkable or constrain

the development of the site. It can be enhanced and

completed through further development which could

contribute to its success.

Bond Street is identified in the Kingston House development

Briefs 2014 as having potential for the East carriageway being

closed and redeveloped to expand the constrained Kingston

House Site. This was supported in principle providing it could

function safely and efficiently by the Highways Department. It

is subsequently understood there are issues with underground

services inhibiting construction but public realm works are

acceptable. Therefore it is proposed that the west carriageway

could be put over to public realm and vehicular access into

the Albion Square Site/Car Park. This gives opportunities for

additional public realm and possibly street planting.

Archaeology – In 1989 the Royal Institute bomb site was

excavated to retrieve buried artefacts in the basement from

a1943 air raid. It is not clear from the sites and monuments

record whether the whole site was completely excavated so a

cautious approach would be to check any intrusive piling

locations down to basement level for possible artefacts.