Community
Our initial thoughts on the type of community that the development could create.
The development provides a genuine opportunity to enhance the Friar Park area. Improving the safety of the site and enhancing existing local community assets, such as the play park on Friar Park Road. We are exploring the possibility of providing enhanced community features and the potential for small-scale commercial activity. Our initial ideas include three different approaches to incorporating a new community focal point within the development. These approaches are shown below.
Approach 1 – Central Community Focal Point
Provide a new community focal point within the middle of the site.
This will create a place at the heart of the new neighbourhood of Friar Park Urban Village but which can be shared with the existing Friar Park community.
This approach would mean it is closer to Kent Road houses while still being accessible from Friar Park Road.
Approach 2 – Grow the Existing Community Hub
Focus the new community around the Millennium Centre and play park on Friar Park Road.
This approach could help to improve the surroundings of the existing community centre, making them safer and more appealing to use.
It would also encourage more people to use the existing facilities.
Approach 3 - South Eastern Community Gateway
Create a new community focal point in the south-east corner of the site.
A community focal point in this location means it is closer to Tame Bridge Parkway Station which could make the facilities more accessible to the wider area.
It also means any newly created facilities could be fronted onto Friar Park Road and potentially be part of an earlier phase of development.
