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The Landscape Partnership was appointed on 27th April to
design a scheme for Hunstanton Promenade, to put forward for the
national Sea Change programme.
The appointment was made after four shortlisted consultants presented
their concept designs for the Promenade to a 26-strong panel of
technical experts and representatives of Hunstanton organisations and
residents.
The consultants' brief included all the information from the 'We Love
Hunstanton Prom' competitions, the Prom Walks in October and November
and the 'Spaceshaper' workshop.
In fact, most of the 'Spaceshaper' team were on the appointment
panel. Representatives of
Hunstanton Town Council, Hunstanton Civic Society, Hunstanton Chamber of
Trade and Hunstanton Accommodation Association, several businesses
trading along the seafront and residents kindly gave their time
alongside Hunstanton Ward Councillors to consider and score the design
ideas.
Not only did this prove to be a very valuable process, it is also a very
unusual process, with this degree of community involvement in a Council
appointment - perhaps we can say that Hunstanton leads the way?
The highest score by a significant margin was awarded to The Landscape
Partnership whose design concept centres on the natural heritage of
Hunstanton’s unique striped cliffs and brings in references to literary
figures with a Hunstanton connection. They
are now going to develop a detailed scheme which highlights the cliffs,
creates and enhances viewing points and access to them and draws design
themes south from the cliffs, incorporating public art.
An initial site meeting has taken place between The Landscape
Partnership and Council officers and work on the sketch scheme proposals
has started.
The timescale for the Sea Change application is very tight, with a
deadline at the end of June.
Hunstanton will be competing for funding with coastal resorts all
over the country in the final round of the programme. Ward Councillors
are committed to the project and, while we remain hopeful, we have asked
The Landscape Partnership to develop their scheme in such as way as to
show us what we might be able to achieve within the Regeneration budget
alone.
The outcome is expected to be known in October.
Jason Law
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