We recently sat down with Dave to reflect on his experience leading the design of the St Marychurch Local Centre in Torquay, a defining project that saw him navigate a challenging public consultation in a conservation area and deliver a high-quality scheme balancing community concerns, planning requirements, and client ambitions. The result was a regeneration project that stayed true to his vision, enhanced the local streetscape, and proved both aesthetically and commercially successful.

What is the Project name and Location?

St Marychurch Local Centre in Torquay

What was your role in the project?

Lead architect/urban designer.

What made this project meaningful for you?

It was a perhaps one of the most challenging public consultation I’d attended, the project was controversial, and the consultation was challenging listening to the concerns of the local residents. We worked closely with the local planning authority and residents to achieve a scheme that made a visual/social and economic positive impact.

What was the biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

The local planning authority wanted to see high quality traditional design and insisted on the introduction of residential use. The solution came in the form of repairing the street scheme to the rear of the site by introducing 4no 3 bedroom terrace houses. Our client was initially hesitant to incorporate these additions, however this proved to be positive for the urban street scene and a financially viable addition to the scheme.

Did the project involve anything new for you – a new skill or a learning moment?

Acting as lead architect/urban designer the project presented many challenges, including a controversial public consultation along with the challenge of working within a conservation area.

What part of this project are you especially proud of and why?

I think I am most proud of the finished building was a very accurate interpretation of designs I produced for planning and the client commenting at the end that it looked just like the CGI’s maybe better in the flesh.

How does this project reflect Urban Edge’s values or approach to design? 

I felt that the project represented Urban Edges ability to work with the client/owner and design team along with the local planning authority to deliver a high-quality scheme that enhanced the local area.

One word or phrase you would use to describe this project? 

Urban Regeneration

On behalf of our client Canon House Properties Limited we undertook the extensive remodelling of a former kitchen/bathroom showroom on a very prominent site along the A40 in Gerrards Cross.

The development proposals extended to internal reconfiguration of the space to create six new apartments, along with completely re-elevating the external façades and providing new fenestration.

The scheme received planning approval in June 2016 and works started on-site in December 2016. The apartments were completed in the Summer of 2017.

We were instructed by our client to redevelop this former office space located in the centre of Staines-upon-Thames. Having determined that renewed office use was no longer sustainable we decided that the best course of action was to convert the building to residential use and take advantage of the great location and proximity to local amenities on offer.

We proposed to remodel the building to significantly improve its appearance and integrate the existing Pizza Express unit more successfully. Additionally, we added a third floor to the building in order to give the client an additional two properties which succeeded in making the scheme commercially viable.

We submitted the scheme to the local planning department in early 2012 and successfully gained approval in the Summer. Construction began in early 2014 and the building was completed just after Christmas.