Client: London Legacy Development Corporation
Project: Olympic Park Night-time Supplementary Planning Document
What were MAKE asked to do?
The Olympic Park and Legacy Area Night-time Economy Supplementary Planning Document is not the most thrilling title for what is perhaps the most important document we’ve been involved in since we created the world’s first holistic night-time economy strategy for Liverpool.
Working with our partner economists Hatch-Regeneris and live music and culture specialists Sound Diplomacy, we were part of the team asked by the Olympic London Legacy Development Corporation (the planning authority for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and parts of the five surrounding boroughs), to create a supplementary planning document (SPD) for their (evening) and night-time economy.
Given we’ve argued for councils to do this for more than a decade we were rather taken aback and (pleasantly) surprised. What is less of a surprise is that it took a non-council planning authority to take the plunge. However, the change had to start somewhere, and we are excited that the LLDC did it. We hope this will be the first of many night-time SPDs.
How did MAKE do it?
The team undertook a policy and literature review of LLDC, neighbouring authority and pan-London documents – examining how the ENTE was currently represented and what the Mayor of London’s expectations were, for example, in terms of the London Plan, the Cultural Infrastructure Plan and Economic Strategy.
The team followed this with night audits of the entire LLDC area as well as the Olympic Park using our MAKE ‘Night Audit’ Model, examining cleansing, transit, security, dispersal, diversity and demographics, land use mix, noise, lighting and urban design.
Key areas for consideration were how to balance residential and nightlife as well as 24-hour industry and the large number of artists’ studios to ensure harmonious future placemaking. Avoiding conflict between new residents and existing nightclubs that had started up here away from central London (where 24-hour club culture was no longer - if ever – welcome), was a key objective of the work.
We analysed crime and disorder data for the area to understand what the main issues were and what design and planning interventions could be considered by developers to enhance safety and security (for example lighting, landscaping, retail design, as well as and noise cancelling sound-art installations!).
We engaged with local groups including licensees to identify issues of concern. A major issue to emerge was how to ensure a joined up and safe night-time experience of moving through the area (transport in certain parts of the area is poor).
Another key issue was not only ensuring the pre-existing bars and nightclubs are protected from noise complaints but there is a highly developed light industrial sector here. These firms are vital in supplying food and drink to the rest of London’s evening and night-time economy. Thus, this crucial sub-sector also required protection (both against noise complaints from new neighbours and from the ‘residential-isation’ of highly desirable land).
What happened next?
This was the first London planning document (after the Draft London Plan) to include the ‘agent of change’ principle. The draft went out for consultation, feedback was positive, and it is due to be adopted as policy shortly.
What unique value did MAKE bring to this project?
Whilst we created the idea of ‘night-time economics’, it was great to have a role in an outstanding team where we could focus on detailed planning guidance – everything from the nuts and bolts of roller shutters through to sound proofing, acoustic treatments and public space design. To help in this we called on our network of sound experts such as the Noise Abatement Society and Big Sky Acoustics.