How To Understand Were Street

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Rodger Snow
3 years ago
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1 24. Were Street Context Were Street is an asymmetrically aligned double-sided Activity Centre, split into 2 activity clusters separated by residential housing. The centre is approximately 145 metres long in its entirety but due to its physical fragmentation, the area of active frontage is only a total of 95 metres. It is a well-used small village shopping strip located in a quiet tree-lined street in an attractive leafy suburb. Sense of Place The centre is an attractive and well-visited small village shopping strip divided into 2 clusters with 2 different building types and characters. A significant element of the centre is a mature avenue of Plane trees lining the street providing a covered canopy, enclosing the space and visually linking the centre. LOCATION NTS CHURCH DENDY VILLAGE SOUTH ROAD & ESPLANADE WERE BRIGHTON GOLF CLUB BRIGHTON SOUTHEND 400m/5min walking range Activity centre frontages Bus routes Train routes Train stations LOCATION PLAN SCALE: 1:20000 HAMPTON LUDSTONE

It is a well-used small village shopping strip located in a quiet tree-lined street in an attractive leafy suburb.

2 Primary active frontage Secondary active frontage Activated edge/corner Landmark Pedestrian movement Node Focal point Small public space Car park Bus stop Barrier Signalised crossing Controlled crossing Cross street link Vehicle access way The building quality is higher towards the crest of the hill in the north cluster of shops. This area attracts the most passing footfall. Although the strip is single sided, the strong mature tree canopy opposite and continuous wide awnings give this strip a good sense of intimacy and enclosure. This part of the Activity Centre is comprised of attractive continuous fine grain, mainly single-storey buildings. A single-storey building with decorative raised parapets addresses the corner of Were and Hanby streets, and a strong 2-storey building addresses the corner of Were and Arthur streets. The shop on the corner of Were and Hanby streets has a shop-top residential development to the rear abutting the rear laneway. A busy cafe occupies each end of the retail strip activate the corners and use the footpath areas for outdoor seating, which provides good surveillance and interface with the street

Although the strip is single sided, the strong mature tree canopy opposite and continuous wide awnings give this strip a good sense of intimacy and enclosure.

3 The south-west end of the centre is comprised of a smaller group of larger grain single-storey shops stepping down to the Cavendish Place corner, and is recessed behind 90-degree car parking. A small supermarket occupies the corner next to the car park. The building quality is not as high, with a less consistent grain and narrower awnings. Issues and Observations Access Although the centre is fragmented, the pedestrian experience is comfortable. Rear access to the shops to the south-west is via an adjacent private car park and Cavandish Street. There is rear access to the north-east shops via Davie Lane. The car parking in the centre is a mix of on-street right-angle and parallel parking and off-street private car park services the supermarket. Continuous generous awnings are found on both side of the street. Elements 4 The street furniture is in good condition and sufficient for the centre, although there are some superseded pieces. Pavement is mainly 500 x 500 mm saw cut concrete with some asphalt between the supermarket and the car park entry. The condition of the paving is good with some cracking due to tree root activity. An avenue of mature Plane trees, Platanus x acerifiolia, line Were Street with charcoal coloured flowstone ground cover. There are also Weeping Fig trees, Ficus Hilli, which are in good condition but require maintenance pruning regularly. Visual 2 Although some of the shops have frosted windows, they re generally available for casual surveillance along the north active edge, which has with good footfall. This is in contrast to the south side of Were Street, which has considerable signage, painting of shop windows and solid walls to the street that considerably reduce the opportunity for casual surveillance. A 2-storey building on the corner Were and Arthur streets forms a landmark. The mature street tree canopy, strong built edge and gentle sloping topography ensure a positive visual quality to the centre. Place Assessment 1 5 Quality Poor Excellent Elements Access Quality Furniture 3 Pavement 4 Planting 3 Pedestrians and accessibility 5 Quality Total Score 4.25 Sensitivity Hierarchy 2 5 Sensitivity Highly Sensitive Not Sensitive Needs urgent attention 2 Location 3 On the radar Sensitivity Total Score 2.5 Good

Issues and Observations Access Although the centre is fragmented, the pedestrian experience is comfortable.

4 Landmark Node Car park 500 x 500 sawcut concrete paving Bus stop Barrier Cross street link Vehicle access way PLAN SCALE: 1:

5 Existing Street Elements REF NO FURNITURE ITEM BR0? Hooped Bike Rack 3 SE02 Bayside Shell Seat 3 CONDITION Square Bin 1 Round S/S Bin 3 Dog Hitch 3 MATERIALS FURNITURE AND MATERIALS SCHEDULE TO BE UPDATED QUANTITY COMMENTS Bluestone Planters

Bin 1 Round S/S Bin 3 Dog Hitch 3 MATERIALS FURNITURE AND

6 3.24.6

Criteria 3: Criteria 4: Traffic flow and traffic signals. Shakespeare Grove would be made one way running into Acland Street.

Criteria 3: Criteria 4: Traffic flow and traffic signals. Shakespeare Grove would be made one way running into Acland Street. Attachment D - Option Analysis Acland Street Acland Street Options Criteria 1: Criteria 7: Local access to the shopping strip - by walking, bike riding and by car (parking) Traffic flow and traffic signals