The Oval Regeneration reimagines the Oval as a new neighbourhood centre that is welcoming, a focal point for the community, and a place that people want to inhabit. The masterplan reworks the existing Radburn layout into a series of more traditional streets and public spaces with new buildings, homes, shops and community facilities addressing and activating the new public realm. Structured into a series of character areas, the streets, spaces, and buildings have been designed in tandem to ensure a more legible and cohesive neighbourhood centre.

Identified as six land parcels, A to F, the perimeter blocks, terraces, and buildings frame the public routes that cross the site follow existing desire lines and connecting through to the surrounding residential neighbourhood. The perimeter blocks look outward, addressing the streets with animated and active frontages, while within the perimeter blocks, secure landscaped spaces serves the residents.

By introducing this hierarchy of public and private realms, it reduces uncontrolled permeability, focuses public activities within the street while forming secure, manageable spaces for residents.

The Oval neighbourhood is one of twenty-two neighbourhood centres that serve Stevenage. Located in Pin Green to the north-east of the town and within the ward of Martins Wood, the Oval has been identified for regeneration within the Local Plan: H01/18 – Housing Allocation: The Oval; and HC1/7 - New and refurbished leisure and cultural facilities.

Character areas

The landscape design by fabrik include a series of diverse and contrasting spaces to serve different resident and community needs.

The public realm has taken on distinct character areas to help define and shape the masterplan. Some character areas have been influenced by the existing features, such as Vardon Road, where the tree-lined road feels good. Others have been a reaction to the spaces that don’t work, such as Jessop Road/’Green Street’, or that are new and where a new sense of place is needed.

Vardon Road. Tree-lined and with wide grass verges, Vardon Road has the potential to be not just a through-road but a road that is activated by buildings that frame the street. This in turn helps to create a sense of place and orientation within the town and signpost the Oval. New trees are proposed to reinforce the existing character and frame the view through to the new shops, homes, public spaces, and neighbourhood as a whole.

'New Street’. To the north and east of the site, ‘new street’ serves a terrace of the town house, the community building, and connects around to provide access to land parcel C and Vardon Road.

‘Play street’ is a new ‘at grade’ pedestrian route between the existing neighbourhood to the west and the new neighbourhood centre. With existing and new homes addressing ‘play street', it is now a well-surveyed public space integrated with the new pavements of Jessop Road/’Green Street’ and beyond. At the eastern end steps descend to Market Square, creating an opportunity for the steps to become a public space in their own right, capable of being steps or seats for an event within the square.

‘Market Square’. Open at the southern end, the square is framed by commercial and residential buildings to the east and west, with a new community building commanding the northern elevation. The approaching roads have been designed to allow the square to be pedestrian-only or open to vehicular traffic. The aim is to ensure that the neighbourhood centre remains active throughout the day and into the evening. Vehicular access could be limited during the busiest times of the day but opened up to vehicular access when pedestrian footfall reduced and a night-time economy began. This flexibility also allows the square to host markets, community, and cultural events that promote the neighbourhood and encourage community activity and cohesion.

Land parcels

Integral to the masterplan and vision is the logistics of decanting, demolition and construction. With this in mind land parcels A to D have been developed to Stage 2 and an outline application and land parcels E and F developed to stage 3 and a detail application for an earlier delivery.

The outline proposal for land parcel A is for residential dwellings, Use-class C3, with associated amenities and parking. For land parcels B and D, the proposal is for a mixed-use development with residential dwellings at upper levels and retail space, Use-class E at lower ground level alongside the residential entrances, parking, and associated ancillary spaces. The illustrative design proposes 236 apartments and 6 retail spaces, while the outline application seeks an upper limit of 250 dwellings and 1,200 m2 of retail. [Outline design]

The outline proposal for land parcel C is for a retail development, Use-class E, comprising small retail units, a supermarket, and car parking. The illustrative design proposes up to 225 m2 of small retail units, up to 2,650 m2 of supermarket, and undercroft parking of 1,375 m2 (or up to 50 spaces). [Outline design]

The detailed proposal for land parcel E is for residential, Use-class C3 designated for independent retirement living with communal facilities, staff welfare facilities, and associated parking and landscaping. The 91 apartments, 60 one-bedroom and 31 two-bedroom, are arranged over one to five floors and a secure, landscaped courtyard. [Detailed design]

The detailed proposal for land parcel F is for a church and community centre, Use-class F1 and F2, respectively. The gross internal area of the building is 1,614 m2, with the reprovision of All Saints Church, located on the ground floor, measuring 258 m2, and a capacity for 200 people, and the reprovision of the community centre, 1,351 m2, arranged over 3 floors, comprising meeting rooms, office suite, function halls, kitchens, and ancillary spaces. [Detailed design]

Concept