TE1: Totton Town Centre Design & Development Principles

Policy Ideas

Totton town centre is an important area of focus for regeneration in the New Forest District where it has been identified that improvements are needed to better fulfil its role as a key urban centre for the Waterside and its communities as a modern market town.

The emerging Local Plan is also likely to reflect the position of Totton in the settlement hierarchy, in terms of allocating land for additional housing development, with a focus on brownfield town centre redevelopment opportunities which will provide the required investment to deliver its placemaking and regeneration aspirations.

As such, the Neighbourhood Plan will identify the Town Centre area for the purpose of supporting regeneration opportunities to deliver retail, cultural, environmental, residential and business investment. Proposals for redevelopment in the three opportunity areas of the Civic Quarter, Primary Retail Area and Old Totton will be encouraged provided they demonstrate how they accord with the design and development principles and opportunities for each area as set out:

Civic Quarter

The social heart of the community, the civic quarter will remain a valuable community asset characterised by a campus of civic buildings, adjacent to the war memorial with the popular open space at Testvale Park as its focal point. This area provides the building blocks of a mix used community hub which will develop as an accessible location which promotes inclusivity and enhances social and cultural opportunities to meet up.  The current configuration of the civic buildings will be rationalised and made more legible to frame an enlarged park and supporting garden style public spaces maintaining a sense of openness which will be enhanced through maximising the opportunities for urban biodiversity.

The Primary Shopping Area

The primary shopping area will be re-imagined, including improved public realm spaces and a reconfiguration of the shopping precinct into a mixture of retail, office and residential spaces. To the south of Commercial Road, the poorly located industrial uses could be relocated to out-of-town locations alongside the strategic road network, reducing the impact of traffic on the area, making way for better-connected, mixed-use development of appropriate scale, height and materials which seek to bring forward innovative design, including the use of bold architecture in the creation of new landmark buildings unique to Totton to reflect its history and heritage and its prominence in the District as a modern vibrant town centre. The area will reduce reliance on the private car for short journeys and the dominance of vehicles, prioritising active travel opportunities, introducing parking spaces for car clubs and promoting lower car ownership developments. Pocket parks, contemporary street furniture and urban greening measures will create a series of high-quality public realm amenity spaces, improving wellbeing and air quality. Spaces will also be provided to animate the town centre with pop up stalls and street entertainment.

Old Totton

Rumbridge Street and the High Street will remain a strong link to the heritage and history of Totton, with the look and feel of a traditional high street reflected in the small-scale independent shops and business along its length. With its heritage assets and quieter setting than the bustling town centre it will encourage incubation spaces for start-up businesses, makers markets and creatives. The predominance of older buildings along this street provide a sense of character, with alterations and changes to buildings here needing to respect and enhance the sense of place through good quality materials and sensitive design. It will make best use of its location, providing the connection between the north and south of the town, promoting a walkable community and strengthen its links to the riverside destination of Eling Wharf and to the Primary Shopping Area.

Essential Design Principles for each area may include reference to:

• Active Frontages
• Public Realm
• Landmark Buildings
• Building Heights (inc. gentle densification in appropriate locations)
• Public Art and Bespoke Street Furniture (inc. innovative design in appropriate locations)
• Boundary Treatments
• Creating and enhancing Local Distinctiveness 
• Accessibility
• Shop Frontages
• Parking 
• Improving the environment for people and wildlife.