3.4 A Landscape Led Concept

A Wilder Landscape

Light touch interventions make the landscape more accessible, paths woven in-between protected trees. Small scale spaces for play and shelter.

A Central Spine of Buildings in Mature Parkland

As exists within The Crichton, buildings are anchored to mature feature trees, allowing buildings to be sensitively embedded in the landscape.

This illustrative sketch is indicative of how the masterplan principles could be interpreted.

The masterplan will exemplify the six qualities of successful places:

Healthy

Supporting the prioritisation of people’s safety and improving physical and mental health.

Pleasant

Supporting attractive natural and built spaces.

Connected

Supporting well connected networks that make moving around easy and reduce car dependency.

A Stepped Landscape of Terraces

Terraces step down the hillside with generous green spaces and lanes winding between. New buildings should be set back from existing boundaries, giving all space to breathe.

Distinctive

Supporting attention to detail of local architectural styles and natural landscapes to be interpreted, literally or creatively, into designs to reinforce identity.

Sustainable

Supporting the efficient use of resources that will allow people to live, play, work and stay in their area, ensuring climate resilience, and integrating nature positive, biodiversity solutions.

Adaptable

Supporting commitment to investing in the long-term value of buildings, streets and spaces by allowing for flexibility so that they can be changed quickly to accommodate different uses as well as maintained over time.

3.5 The Character Areas

Ladyfield will have three different types of character areas. These areas have been arrived at following site analysis as outlined in Chapter 1.

Area 1 - The Hannahfield Parkland

Area 1, The Hannahfield Parkland will be a place of minimal intervention, capturing the enduring landscape qualities of the Ladyfield site. The Hannahfield Parkland should provide accessibility with new routes and connections to the east, west and south. Through careful stewardship of the existing natural assets and legacy planning the landscape should be enhanced to be a biodiverse place for community activity and enjoyment. The landscape should support play and activity, interventions should be light and respectful to the natural assets that make the place so special.

Area 2 - The Heritage Quarter

Area 2, The Heritage Quarter will be a place which seamlessly links the conservation setting of The Crichton with the new community at Ladyfield. Existing built heritage assets at Hannahfield House and Ladyfield House and the designed landscape setting of trees and hedgerows should form part of a holistic approach which respectfully brings new life to the old. New buildings within the heritage quarter should reflect the conservation setting and be placed carefully in the landscape with an understanding of the scale, form and architectural qualities present within The Crichton. New landscape and bluegreen infrastructure should support the long-term sustainability of the entire Crichton Quarter.

Area 3 - The Ladyfield Terraces

Area 3, The Ladyfield Terraces will stitch homes into the existing surrounding neighbourhoods and should be placed to work with the topography of the site to minimise ground works. Development should follow a network of lanes, at human scale, which prioritise pedestrians, cycling and wheeling. The terraces should respect existing key views and the conservation setting of the Ladyfield Cottages. The Ladyfield Terraces should alleviate flood risk to surrounding neighbourhoods through a green-blue network of swales, raingardens and wetlands.