Sheppard Robson on creating new urban districts

Nick Ffoulkes, Partner, Sheppard Robson (Courtesy Sheppard Robson)

Future Cities Forum is delighted that Sheppard Robson partner, Nick Ffoulkes, will join our 'Levelling up' forum in Leeds. Nick has a track record of unlocking value in complex and prominent urban renewal projects, often bringing together workspace, homes and hospitality.

To extend city centres in a way that feels new and exciting yet familiar and considered, Nick stitches together multiple typologies in line with the long-term, strategic ambitions of cities. This macro view often looks at the relationship between major commercial and residential development, and how it is enlivened and anchored by spaces for culture, leisure and retail as well as thoughtful public spaces. A current project that typifies this civic approach is Globe Road in Leeds.

Throughout Nick’s career his approach has been underlined by practicing with purpose, adopting a firm belief that his designs should be responsible, a “good neighbour”, and a product of a collaborative process. To ensure projects positively contribute to their surroundings over the long term, Nick positions extensive consultation and engagement as a foundation on which the design process is built.

Other recent projects include Building K at Westfield London and the new headquarters for TJX in Watford – with both projects demonstrating his dexterity to maximise the potential of complex urban sites. Nick’s diverse experience also includes working on university and academic workplace projects and a broad range of housing types. Nick is also a visiting critic at several schools of architecture.

Nick will be talking about the creation of an important new district in Leeds, which will transform the area of Globe Road between the main-line railway and the canal and close to the South Bank regeneration zone. The investment partnership behind Get Living Plc, the UK’s largest build to rent operator, said:

'The investment partnership plans to invest £180m in a new five-acre residential neighbourhood of more than 780 homes for rent comprising studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments as well as family townhouses. The development will create eight residential buildings linked by a series of new public spaces and a new Hub building overlooking the canalside.

'Following public consultations with the local community, the lapsed planning consent granted to the previous site owner has been reconfigured to create a truly residential-led and green neighbourhood, which opens up Globe Road to the canalside and includes new public amenities.

'The new design moves away from creating a single monolith and allows for new pockets of public realm to be created in-between the buildings. These spaces will be brought to life by a range of amenities – such as food stores, retails units and a gym – which activate the ground floor and streetscape. Residents will also be able to retreat to communal terraces found on the first floor of the development and the townhouses benefit from private gardens.

'A key part of the proposed development is the Hub building, a pavilion that sits on the waterfront to the east of the site. This lighter structure with glazed facades includes restaurant space at ground floor, with co-working space positioned above offering a workplace destination for small and emerging businesses.'

Sheppard Robson has worked on other major development projects in Leeds including Wellington Place,.

CGI of Sheppard Robson's design for Get Living's regeneration of Globe Road as a residential district between the main railway lines and the canal, close to the city centre and the South Bank beyond