Jamie Ounan

Transforming

Key facts

​

• 410 homes

• 1,274 improved car parking provision

• Highways improvements

• Landscaping and green spaces

Project Objectives

• To transform an underused part of the historic Welwyn Garden City into new homes

• To plan, design and deliver multiple enabling infrastructure projects to de-risk the land in readiness for development

• To ensure the new homes are high quality design befitting of the Garden City

• To guide the design of a new neighbourhood sensitive to garden city design principles and aesthetics

​

​

Overview

​

In January 2019, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council was the first local authority in the country to secure a grant from the Homes England Accelerated Construction programme, and were awarded £6.1m to deliver up to 410 homes in the centre of Welwyn Garden City. Welwyn is the UK’s second Garden City (celebrating its centenary in 2020), and the site is in a sensitive location to the north of the town centre and rail station. 

ICC engaged with senior council officers in the mobilisation phase and recruited a multidisciplinary team of award-winning experts including Allies & Morrison, Arup, Colliers, AZ Urban Studio and Bridges Associates to deliver the programme through a 3-stage commission. Design development was aligned with the Treasury five-case methodology, including extensive and complex options appraisals for the enabling infrastructure and phasing works within the project operational and financial constraints.

​

Impact

​

Inner Circle acted as Development Director, programme manager and ultimately trusted advisor to the client team. Leading the team we found a creative approach to enabling the 410 homes, developed an implementation and delivery strategy. As the early milestones were hit workstreams were transferred to the in-house or technical consultancy team to progress through the implementation phased. Inner Circle were retained at Development Director to oversee the programme. 

Products included:

• Strategic Planning Framework

• Design Code

• Feasibility study and Strategic Outline Business Case

• Outline Business Case

• Stakeholder Engagement Plan 

• Town Centre Strategic Brief

Awards