VISUAL APPEARANCE OF BROWNFIELD SITE REDEVELOPMENTS IN MALTON AND NORTON IS CRITCIAL SAYS FITZWILLIAM ESTATE
“Redeveloping brownfield sites in Malton and Norton presents a superb opportunity which is good news for the towns,” says Roddy Bushell of the Fitzwilliam Estate. But it is essential that Ryedale District Council, the town councils and residents, ask themselves what they want the redevelopment sites to look like once they are finished - or they risk damaging the visual appearance of the towns for generations to come.”
“As an owner of several areas of land and buildings within Malton which will be considered for redevelopment over the coming months and years, the Fitzwilliam Estate welcomes Ryedale District Council’s public consultation about the redevelopment of various brownfield sites in the Malton and Norton rail and river corridor. Redevelopment will bring opportunities to increase the vitality and vibrancy of the towns.
“However, redevelopment is not just about land use. It is important at this early stage to recognise that the architectural design and visual appearance of each site will be a critical factor in the redevelopment process.
“Ryedale District Council, its planners and architects, town councils and residents alike need to begin to ask questions about what do we want redevelopment sites to look like. I know that architects at various development companies and, hopefully, the District Council too, will already be considering their options.”
The two main architectural design options are based on the principles of modernism or traditionalism.
Modernism is a set of design principles that emerged in the early part of the 20 th century to become the current orthodoxy. It is characterised by a focus on new styles of design appropriate to the industrial age and continual change.
The modernist view is that new buildings should conspicuously represent their time –or Zeitgeist (meaning the spirit of the age). This view can lead to building design that is both novel and experimental.
An alternative view to modernism is to accept that a building is not built just for the age in which it was constructed. – Traditionalism. Buildings can and do last for many years. Traditionalists consider that the need to build well, to fit in and to be inventive, but with dignified architecture, should take priority over representing the Zeitgeist.
The desired result of Traditionalist design is to produce architectural design which follows and enhances the traditional design examples already established in the town. This view can lead to modern buildings that can be both new and timeless.
Roddy adds: “Custodians of the town’s appearance should therefore be mindful of the potential impact of any proposed redevelopments. They should consider carefully the alternative architectural design options for each site. I would encourage the following to be considered when plans are put forward.
- Do the buildings to enhance the existing landscape? Do the new buildings look natural and part of the existing local and natural environment?
- Does the scale of buildings complement the scale of other buildings in the area.
- Do the developments use traditional materials to create building types already used in Malton?
- Will the development create a sense of community pride?
“This debate should start now, so that when development proposals are submitted all parties are already aware of the issues facing them on which they need to decide.”