When it comes to mixed-use placemaking, the possibilities are endless, but you might be wondering where to start. Here are a few approaches to placemaking for mixed-use developments in the UK that could help make your development the next big thing…
You’ve spent months, possibly years obtaining planning permission and funding for your mixed-use scheme. Its exact location is ingrained in your daily conversations. But if the wider community and visitors from further afield have no clue where your scheme is then you’ve got an uphill struggle on your hands. Get your development registered with a postcode and listed on Google maps as soon as possible for it to instantly become a verified destination.
It may have been Shakespeare’s Juliet who famously uttered those words, but giving the right name to buildings, plazas and streets can help people develop their own love affair with your mixed-use scheme. Neglected brownfield sites all across the UK are being brought back to life with new developments and these brand new places need brand new names. This is your chance to be creative. Draw on local surroundings or go big and bold with a name that is totally unique. Either way, you want the name of your development on everybody’s lips, so make it a good’un.
Although your development might be shiny and new, don’t neglect the old. It’s always good to keep your neighbours happy and new developments are no different. Consult the existing nearby businesses and residents to help shape your development. Whether it's help with the name, ideas on what they’d like to see as part of your scheme or allowing input into the design, it’s important to make sure local voices are heard.
This article gives a brief insight into some of the different approaches that can be taken for mixed-use placemaking in the UK. There's a lot more detail in our ebook Effective Placemaking Communications For Your Mixed-Use Development, Volume 1: Explore, which you can download for free with just an email address.