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Urban Design Excellence - Who's in charge of how the city looks?

Story added by Joe the Plumber, 16 February 2009

Bit of a long title I know....but who is in charge of how the city looks, but more importantly will look in the future? Is it the Dept. of the Environment and ther planning service. Is it Ilex and the Dept. of Social Developments North West Development Office? Both of these organisations are (according to the websites) responsible for various aspects of the physical regeneration of the city. And where does the council fit in??

Before another brick is laid I think all of the above mentioned agencies need to get together and come up with a CLEAR and ENFORCED policy for Urban Design Excellence for the city to protect the architectural integrity of the city's landscape, its historic buildings and ensure any new buildings or major redevelopments have a high level of architectural merit! NO MORE QUICK FIXES....just look at the bus station!

We have two massive sites - Fort George & Ebrington - thats means to massive opportunities to do so something special! But only if there is joined up thinking and someone looking at the bigger picture!!

Comments (5)

Hi Joe. You have raised an excellent point. Up to now there has been no joined-up thinking. No organisation would appear to have any real clout on urban planning. A few years ago rules on shopfront design were introduced into the city centre so that they would be more in keeping with the architectural heritage within the Walled City. Yet there appears to be little evidence of implemenation. Perhaps the organisation in charge of that initiative would care to repond on this website.

I like the photo at the top of your blog Joe. However, I wonder if the potential for such a riverfront may have been lost to Derry as Sainburys, Desmonds and KFC now dominate the largest part of the riverfront. The draft Masterplan for Fort George although impressive in its ambition is not as far as I know, part of an overall joined up vision/plan for the riverfront. You are absolutely correct to say that there should be no more quick fixes. The development of an overall joined-up urban design plan for the city and its riverfronts, interfacing with an integrated transport plan, should be a central plank of the current visioning process.

Tommy Murphy 16 February 2009

Tommy, don't get me started on shopfronts!! I have heard that Austins have affectively been forbidden from restoring their historic groundfloor shopfronts by removing the "temporary" protective (and hideous) coverings above the shops windows by the planning authorities because they are now part of the architectural make-up of the Diamond...someone please get a grip...and wake up and smell the coffee!!

....anyway thanks for adding some very good points and unfortunately you could be right that the potential may have been lost, however...and ever the optimist...there is still the stretch of riverfront running from the tourist visitor centre all the way down to the council offices...I see no reason why this can't be transformed...it is afterall one the first thing people see coming into the city, and with some innovative ideas, design and planning more could be done to improve the riverfront by Sainsburys and Desmonds...while I'm on this can anyone tell me why Sainsburys car park so massive? I've personally never seen it more than half full!

I am very supportive and very much in favour of the development of Fort George, Ebrington and the new bridge...but you are 100% right, someone needs to take overall charge of urban design and planning in the city NOW to ensure that we do not end up with 3 random stand-alone developments!

Joe The Plumber 17 February 2009

Would anyone object to the riverfront becoming a huge demolition site, and then building from scratch? It would certainly kick-start the construction trade in the town. Look at our river-front - council office, civil service offices, KFC (I mean, seriously!), Sainsburys, a car dealership and McDonalds. I'd cry, if I weren't too busy laughing at the fact that there are idiots in positions of power who can make these decisions.

Mark Kelly 17 February 2009

I agree completely Jo and Mark, I’m a Derry born urban designer working in Manchester and the benefits of a shared long term vision for the future development of the City should be paramount.

Many UK cities commission urban design practitioners to develop urban design frameworks, masterplanning frameworks or vernacular studies to guide the development of a Town or City in right way!! Sheffield did it, Manchester did it, and they have come on leaps and bounds in recent years. Its not only the big cities that do it either... i personally have worked on small scale urban design guidance documents that have made significant impacts in a short period of time.

The development of Derry has been piecemeal at best - the library, the bus station, the millennium theatre, they are all short term answers or poorly though out quick fixes. The City has too many assets to let this continue – the walls, the river, the history etc should all form a central part of the Cities future.

I agree completely, there should be a shared vision that is representative of the council, Ilex, the Derry people and any other relevant consultees should agree on for the good of the city, so progress can start.

Ps The website is brilliant – you should get the Derry Journal, Derry News, Northwest tonight (and Channel 9 if that still exists!) to advertise this, get peoples opinions and inputs!! If you speak loud enough someone will take notice!

Keep up the good work folks.

25 February 2009

Why can't Tesco Quayside be asked to transform the ugly open fencing with sheets of artwork that would hide the outside storage areas from public view

mary casey 28 February 2010

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Urban Design Excellence - Who's in charge of how the city looks?

Story added by Joe the Plumber, 16 February 2009

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