Marian Court - Architectural Services

The Council intends to build a mixed tenure housing development on the Marian Court site, with new homes for social renting, shared ownership and open market sale. The site will also provide some commercial and retail space and re-provide the existing community facility. The overall design aims of the Marian Court regeneration are:

• The replacement of units at the end of their useful life with new high quality, residential development built to current space and sustainability standards; • To deliver an element of retail and commercial space, responding to the fact the site sits within a priority employment area • To build well-designed new homes for social renting, shared ownership and outright sale; • To build the foundations for an integrated and sustainable community; • To deliver high quality, new, open spaces; • The improvement of security by creating front doors at ground level to all ground floor apartments; • Community benefits through a Section 106 Unilateral Undertaking linked to the grant of planning permission and the potential inclusion of a community centre; • Deliver a planning compliant parking scheme; • Opportunity to drastically improve the landscaping and wider public realm in and around the estate; and • For the design to engage and reflect ideas and views expressed by the residents’ steering group, wider community and stakeholders.

In order to develop the project, an architect needs to be appointed. They are being procured to undertake the entire design process through to assisting Officers with procuring a Contractor / developer , including: • Options appraisals; • Design and gain planning approval for the whole development – including public realm and landscaping; and • The subsequent detailed design for tender - to ensure that the design intent is embedded throughout the construction process.