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The buildings form two major groups, with four buildings on each side of
the central buildings. The preferred design strategy would preserve
the underlying structure and identity of the site with examples of all
extant spatial and building elements.
All the perimeter buildings should be preserve and the fire
damaged Steeps buildings restored.
Two squares can be created within the preserved perimeter
buildings. The larger western square will be addressed by retail,
leisure, community, employment, culture and community uses, with
residential and employment uses on the upper levels. The smaller
eastern square will be addressed by employment, education and health uses,
again with residential and employment uses on the upper levels.
The creation of each square provides a focus for the scheme while
also maintaining a high level of conservation of the architectural and
special features of the Maltings.
At the centre, the scale of the Barley Kiln provides a good
location for community uses around an "Assembly Hall", with
public access uses extending through the ground floor of the
Granaries. This would provide a public centrepiece to the project
with access from the north and both new squares. Te upper parts of
the Granary will require reconstruction within the perimeter walls and
could provide either residential or employment uses.
The southern centre building with the Engine House and Water Tower
is well positioned for A3 use (pub, restaurant and microbrewery) at ground
level, with a south facing garden. On the upper floors residential
uses would have fine views making them suitable for tourism.
Generally, the southern buildings are well suited for residential
use, with the best aspect to the south and secondary aspect into the
courtyards. This would introduce great sunlight effect.
The southern Steeps buildings can be linked into pairs allowing
the allocation of garden areas for each set. This would give a
development unit of 40 apartments, with space for owner's stores and small
scale retail and commercial spaces faxing the public squares.
Residential use could also stretch across the western and eastern
perimeter, buildings 1 & 9, with the eastern end used for sheltered
units complimenting an intermediate care unit.
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