Architects present viable options for Station Approach development

Councillors discussed the findings of a capacity study carried out by architectural firm Haworth Tompkins from October to March at the regeneration cabinet meeting on Wednesday, June 7.

Architect Hugo Braddick presented several options for each of the four sites which would introduce more commercial, residential and student blocks to the area between Newburgh Street, the Carfax site, Andover Road and Worthy Lane.

READ MORE: Station Approach in Winchester: viable scheme emerging

Council leader, Cllr Martin Tod said: “What we have in front of us today is effectively a capacity study which was set up to answer the questions: Do we have a project here? Do we have something that says we are able to go forward? Do we have viable options?

“The capacity study shows that we do. Construction costs have made our lives a great deal harder but it’s clear we have meaningful options, particularly for Carfax and Cattle Market. Although a lot of our choices are dependent on the provision of a North Park and Ride.

“It also highlights the journey to the next decision-making point on the strategic outline case in July when we will then take the decision on what the next steps of the process are, with a master plan and other decisions on how to progress the project.”

The study looked at the development potential of the council and Network Rail-owned Station West, Station East, Carfax and the Cattle Market, considering feedback from residents and stakeholders, parking capacity and how car park usage has dropped since Covid, pedestrian routes, transport and Winchester’s heritage.

Mr Braddick presented two options for the Carfax site, encompassed by Gladstone Street, Station Road, Station Hill and Sussex Street. The first proposal included two large commercial office blocks of three to four storeys and a smaller office block. Trees and the existing car park in Gladstone Street would be retained.

EXPLAINER: What you should know about the history of the Station Approach scheme in Winchester

Option two again had two large commercial blocks, with the biggest being five storeys, as well as a residential block of three to four storeys in Gladstone Street. The housing block was tested for viability as both mixed tenure and student accommodation. Some of the existing silver birch trees in the middle of the site would be kept in addition to the car park.

Mr Braddick said: “It may be surprising to people but in viability terms it's incredibly hard to get residential to stack up the moment. In terms of commercial viability, it brings almost nothing to the equation which isn’t traditionally what’s been the case. Construction costs have gone up massively but sales and lettings values haven’t.”

Three options were proposed for the Cattle Market with Mr Braddick describing the first as the “most controversial” due to a five-level multi storey with approximately 270 spaces.

The first design also includes two four to five-storey commercial blocks, a five-storey commercial block, a three-storey residential block. All blocks would be set back away from the road to allow space for wide pavement and planting.

The second option featured more, but smaller commercial blocks with two four-storey buildings, two four to five-storey blocks, a five-storey block and a three to four-storey residential block.

SEE ALSO: Station Approach: talks with Network Rail and Ministry of Defence

The third proposal explored more student accommodation, with two student blocks with enclosed courtyards. This option still includes four commercial blocks, three of which would have ground level parking.

All of the Cattle Market suggestions included one-way vehicle access from Worthy Lane to Andover Road and kept the Winchester Club as it stands.

Station East proved the more developable of the two station sites with a larger and square space, that’s less constrained by parking. Option one includes one three to seven-storey block with ground floor parking another three-storey commercial block.

By contrast, option two for Station East comprises of three student housing buildings of three to six storeys with a van loading bay and five parking spaces on the north side. Courtyard spaces between the accommodation blocks would connect to the station.

Station West was previously assessed as non-viable, however Haworth Tompkins proposed two ideas, one for each part of the site.

Mr Braddick said: “It’s probably the most difficult site to get something to stack up on, partly because it's successfully providing a lot of car parking at the moment. It’s also got a vehicle route across the southern part of the site which provides commercial servicing to the industrial units sitting within the railway arches and various other constraints such as telephone masts and the proximity to residential buildings. But we do think there is a scheme there that could provide some fantastic accommodation and architecture.”

READ ALSO: Restaurant owner slams council’s decision to scrap free overnight parking

Mr Braddick first presented a long linear series of commercial units next to the railway with parking and loading bays in between each of the five blocks, the highest being three storeys so to not disturb neighbouring residential gardens.

Meanwhile, along Stockbridge Road the proposal included four multi-storey residential or student blocks with 10 parking spaces by one of the buildings.

Cllr Malcolm Wallace expressed concerns that the report adopted a “business as usual approach” with little acknowledgement of the climate emergency. However, Cllr Wallace’s comments were quickly shut down by Cllr Tod who explained the environmental focus would come later once the council has decided whether the development is viable.

The council will decide whether it is going ahead with Station Approach in July with a cabinet report including conclusions of the capacity study and other technical works undertaken into a Strategic Outline Case highlighting options for how the project could progress.

Click on the top image to see pictures of the options proposed for each of the four sites.