The objective of the Caterham BID is to rejuvenate the town centre and to support the economic success of the businesses that occupy it. The BID commissioned Arkwood to develop proposals for the enhancement of the town centre through a re-balancing of the interests and requirements of car drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
Client and Contract Period
Mansfield District Council
(Technical design at this time)
Project Objectives
Our approach to the Caterham masterplan was to ensure a sustainable and pedestrian friendly streetscape along Croydon Road. We have achieved this by adding in natural drainage systems, as well as redesigning the layout of the road and pathways to improve pedestrian space. Ensuring amenities are accessible to everyone is a key part of the design. We have achieved this by redesigning bus stops and creating larger walkways for pedestrians, which also narrows the road slightly; therefore, slowing the traffic flow contributing to an easily navigated town centre.
Issues Challenges and Outcomes
One of our goals is to make the town centre greener in terms of carbon output, so we have planted trees and installed rain gardens around the space, capturing water that runs off from tarmac and roads, which has been an issue in the town centre.
New trees, raingardens, seating on wider pavements and measures to slow traffic to make the street more pedestrian friendly are all part of the strategy.
In the town centre of Caterham, flooding is an issue as rainwater often gathers on roads. To counter this, adding suitable sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) was essential to the design. As there is a no plastic policy, Hydrorock is being considered as an alternative to the plastic root cells that are conventionally used.
Services
- Installation of SuDS
- Redesigning public space
- Pedestrian focus in design
- Urban Planning design from concept to implementation
