MADE is pioneering a new way of working with Wyre Forest Council as they develop a masterplan for a neighbourhood close to Kidderminster town centre.

Churchfields, a mixed area of run-down industrial premises, housing and derelict spaces is to become an ‘urban village’ with support from the Homes and Communities Agency. MADE is providing know-how from our expert panel members Bob Ghosh of Kinetic AIU and Phil Jones of Phil Jones Associates and a temporary design studio employing formerly unemployed architecture graduates. This will provide the council with a flexible way to find the extra capacity they need while ensuring they remain as project managers for this key area of change.

The masterplanning of Churchfields will present a number of challenges in overcoming the barrier effect of the Kidderminster ring-road, adapting local roads which were originally specified for heavy lorries, linking to adjoining neighbourhoods, making the most of the canal-side setting and designing a mixed use community with a sustainable mix of homes, work places, retail and leisure facilities; all this while ensuring the existing residential population are fully involved in the process. The novel procurement route will make the most of in-house skills and capacity of both the district and county councils while ensuring that the right architecture, urban design and transport planning expertise is available.

MADE has developed a strong relationship with Wyre Forest, providing advice through expert panel member Chris Morland who has helped their ReWyre Initiative to gather support from key public sector organisations and local businesses and to prioritise its work. MADE’s interim CEO, David Tittle, sits on the ReWyre Board. MADE is also helping the initiative to plan an autumn conference for business leaders, developers and designers to identify ways of exploiting the landscape of the district to promote tourism and green business.