Penrhys Masterplan

The Challenge

Penrhys is an existing residential neighbourhood with a small population of approximately 230 people. However, it was once home to 950. The village was conceived as an area of low cost and social housing in the early 1970's, built according to Radburn principles. However, within a very short time the area began to lose population, caused by changes to energy cost following the energy crashes on the 1970s. By the late 1990's the Local Authority had little option other than to start the slow process of demolition following de-population and difficulties caused by the Radburn Layout. The neighbourhood, home to a resilient, determined and resourceful community has remained albeit with doubts about the future of the area. The challenge has been to develop an ambitious but deliverable Vision and Masterplan to revive the area and regrow the population. 

Our Role

Our initial work in 2020/21 was to establish a Draft Vision and high level masterplan to a level of detail that could support the allocation of the site as a Regeneration Area within the Local Development Plan. Following this we have been retained and joined by a full multi-disciplinary consultant team to develop a more comprehensive masterplan and updated vision. 

The Outcome

We have been working closely with the design team and the existing community to develop a fully coordinated masterplan. We are currently working towards a planning application in 2025 for the masterplan and for the first phase of detailed design. This should mean that for the first time since demolition started in the 1990's there is a clear plan for the regeneration and rejuvination of the neighbourhood.