Urban Design and Masterplans

Our urban designers provide urban design and masterplan services for a range of sites and developments of various sizes and types across Essex and Suffolk.

Our work is featured in the Essex Design Guide, as a best practice case study.

Our Urban Design Philosophy

A D P is a creative practice that embeds urban design and placemaking at the heart of each project.

Placemaking is a multi-disciplined approach to urban design and management that involves the interaction of buildings with their spatial environment and their contribution to the creation of vibrant and attractive spaces that inspire and encourage community development, as well as facilitate well-being and healthy neighbourhoods.

We use a collaborative urban design approach to engage in understanding the physical setting and making places which add to their environment and support the needs of the community they sit within. Our aim is to involve all to create successful places which are supported by their spaces, landscapes, buildings and groups of buildings.

Our depth of urban design experience across a diverse range of projects and our skill set allows us to achieve feasible, sustainable and integrated solutions.

As every project is different, whether it be a single building or new neighbourhoods, or within a rural area or dense urban areas, we always provide an early evaluation that allows us to tailor our involvement to suit its needs and aims.

Our Urban Design and Masterplan Services

There are a variety of typical studies that may be required to realise a project, including:

  • Development feasibility assessment - We will assess the site and project aspirations against relevant material considerations, such as planning policies, site history, etc and set out a planning strategy.

  • Contextual Appraisal - The Context Appraisal will provide an analysis of the site and surrounding character, which will then be used to inform development proposals and discussions with key stakeholders and the local planning authority. Development brief - We can prepare development briefs to guide the future redevelopment of specific sites

  • Community engagement – We have extensive experience delivering and managing stakeholder and community engagement events, including public exhibitions, workshops and meetings and presentations to stakeholders, parish councils and planning committees.

  • Masterplan – We can prepare masterplans that will explain how a site or a series of sites will be developed. It will set out key development principles and describe the implementation and development phasing.

  • Design Codes – In some cases it is necessary to prepare a design code or statement of principles document where a degree of prescription is required. This document will provide a framework in which to design individual buildings at later stages in the planning process.

  • Design and Access Statements – This document will be required to accompany most planning applications and can provide a useful tool to inform pre-application discussions . It provides an important statement that sets out the design rationale to justify development.

  • Urban Design Frameworks - An urban design framework is a document describing and illustrating how planning and design policies and principles should be implemented in an area where there is a need to control, guide and promote change. This document could cover for example, an area in need of regeneration, or an identified area of development growth, conservation area or even village expansion.

Contact the Urban Designers at A D P

Please contact us using the form below, or email mail@adpltd.co.uk if you would like to discuss your project with one of our consultants.