The significance of introducing residential development into a town centre is well documented as being key to sustaining vibrant town centres in the face of changing retail habits. To achieve this, it is vital that different house types and tenures are offered to support a mixed community, accepting that people’s needs change over time. This approach responds to key findings set out in the Telford & Wrekin Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2016 which identifies a need for all types of housing, specifically one and two bed affordable housing. In addition, where we can maximise the use of brownfield land for the delivery of housing units, this reduces the need to consider other sites.

Station Quarter will deliver high quality, mixed tenure housing with a range of private rent, shared ownership and affordable rent dwellings being delivered in the first phase with future phases delivering homes for owner occupation. The target market is young professionals and small families who are looking for an alternative housing option which benefits from access to a range of facilities on the doorstep as well as excellent transport links. In the first phase, responsibility for housing and tenancy management will rest with Nuplace, the Council's wholly owned housing company, and the appointed Housing Association. The scheme will be actively managed to ensure that Station Quarter becomes a vibrant and sustainable community within a central location. The recent release of the Nuplace development off Southwater Way highlights the demand for housing within the Town Centre.

Among many other assessments, Traffic, Noise and Air Quality Assessments for the development have been carried out and designs incorporate measures, like any other town centre living, that ensure the town centre environment is an enjoyable place to live.

There is a range of accessible homes including single storey residential accommodation built to meet accessibility standards.

Station Quarter's proximity to a host of facilities and amenities within a short walking/cycle distance, or short bus ride away, demonstrates that the site is suitable and sustainable for a range of uses including residential. Proximity to key public transport hubs and the strategic highway network also increases the accessibility of the site to sustainable and high frequency transport connections. With a need to move towards more sustainable travel patterns, efforts to support and encourage this change in travel habits and reduce dependence on private car use, is critical.

Resident on-site parking will be available, but at a reduced level, reflecting Station Quarter’s sustainable town centre location and the availability of adjacent town centre parking, often empty on evenings and throughout the night having catered for the daytime employment and retail demand. Living in Station Quarter will be a sustainable lifestyle choice and an offer not currently available in Telford.

Parts of the town centre are still severed by car dominated, highway routes and projects such as the works completed to Northfield Street and the route adjacent the Bus Station, work towards breaking down these accessibility barriers. The Station Quarter vision is for a less car dominated, pedestrianised, accessible, and safe route from the Train Station, through Station Quarter, to the Shopping Centre and beyond. Level changes across the town centre do bring its challenges however, designs aspire to widen footpaths, introduce a hierarchy to vehicle access and private car use that prioritises pedestrians/cyclists, and provides a direct and legible route from the Train Station through to the Shopping Centre.

The Project Team are working closely with key user groups, stakeholders, and Council teams to incorporate recommendations and best practice into the designs, and audits are being concluded to ensure designs are tested from a safety perspective.

The curriculum planned to be delivered from the Skills Hub will involve Digital Studies in topics such as computer science, infrastructure and digital support – these will be from level 1 up to level 5, supporting full-time 16-18 students, part-time adults and apprentices. Plus Maths courses to support the Levelling Up agenda, including Functional Skills and GCSE for adults, and computer science and further maths for pre-16 pupils working in partnership with local schools.

Further information on the opportunities to be made available from the Skills Hub will be made available form this website soon.

As a Council led development, sustainability is a primary influencing factor in the evolution of any proposals for the Station Quarter development. The inclusion of sustainability and climate change design measures are being considered throughout the design development process and include incorporating technologies to reduce energy usage and carbon emissions; instilling the mentality, and supporting the ability, to adopt sustainable travel choices; sustainable water use; and enhancing biodiversity.

As a Council we are committed to ensuring that every child in the borough has access to good educational facilities. This is reflected in the current investments taking place at a number of schools including the recently completed Langley and Haughton expansions and the current investment at Holy Trinity Academy. As is the norm with any planning application which include residential development, the Council, as applicant, will be expected to contribute by way of a Section 106 Agreement towards the continual investment in educational facilities. The provision of GP spaces is a matter for the NHS with whom the Local Planning Authority consult as part of planning and investment setting.

We are working with the landscape architects as well as colleagues at the Council to identify and specify materials that we know are sustainable and durable, but can be easily replaced and maintained. This includes reviewing lessons learnt in relation to materials used historically. Alongside this we are developing a maintenance strategy for the public spaces.

The ongoing design development process for Station Quarter incorporates engagement and consultation with a wider range of stakeholders, exploring key design principles that improve accessibility, connectivity, and safety between the key destinations of Telford's train station, shopping centre, Southwater and beyond. The Team are also liaising with key stakeholder regards the town centre wide CCTV system currently in operation, of which the Station Quarter is captured, and opportunities to enhance this.