We have been commissioned by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council to undertake some high-level scale and massing work to assess the development potential of a range of sites across Southend, mostly in Council ownership. We were asked to consider the art of the possible for these sites and to support the next stage of consideration.
Our work is feeding into a strategic assessment of opportunities across the borough and some of the sites may be selected to be brought forward for development, contributing to local housing needs and the wider place-making agenda.
The ten sites we have worked on represent a mix of locations and opportunities, including mixed-use town centre sites, seafront regeneration opportunities, the regeneration and redevelopment of residential tower blocks, and smaller sites in established residential areas.
Some with the potential for delivery in the short term and others with much longer-term prospects. Site capacities have been tested and visualised through development of 3D models.
We are also providing the Council with a critical-friend role on its emerging Urban Capacity Study. As part of this, we are exploring existing densities across the urban area and preparing design case studies to illustrate the potential for growth and intensification across a set of agreed site typologies.
