Acadia University, Nova Scotia, Canada

As part of our ongoing work for the Irving Family in Nova Scotia, the practice was asked to provide advice on the Acadia University Masterplan. A campus-wide review included re-evaluating pedestrian movement patterns, re-establishing building hierarchy and defining key entrances. The coherence of the campus had been eroded by an ad hoc building programme. Our strategy for the rationalisation of the external environment gave new legibility to the campus.

Cabot Circus Bristol

A £300 million, mixed use, retail-led quarter opening in September 2008, with new streets, squares, a highway and residential home zone. NT's local knowledge of the site and prior relationship with the team led to our appointment with the Bristol Alliance. The success of the scheme design led to NT designing the refurbishment of adjoining Broadmead (the 'Greenline').

Welsh, pennant paving stone, to match that found locally in Bristol, forms a simple ground plane. This is sustainable and relevant to the city's character and quality. The team's aspiration for a clutter-free highway is being achieved at the scheme's front door.

Clarendon House Wiltshire

Novell Tullett provided masterplanning and landscape planning advice for a Grade I listed Georgian house and country estate near Salisbury. The evaluation of the landscape context required consultation with English Heritage to develop proposals sympathetic to the historic context of the site. Proposals included siting of new visitor centre buildings, restoration of the original carriage drive, replanning the parterre and evaluation of the wider site to allow public access.

University of Cyprus

Working with YRM Architects, Novell Tullett provided masterplanning and environmental statement for a 4,000-student, 100-hectare campus, rigidly zoned for expansion of faculty, residential and leisure facilities. Detailed analysis of environmental factors led to a scheme causing minimum environmental damage whilst enhancing local landscape and ecology.

The team's approach was to survey all physical and planning factors and evaluate their relative impact. Under the umbrella of an overall environmental strategy, separate strategies were formulated for topics such as landscape, planning, hydrology and water, sporting requirements to develop an environmentally led framework for the site's future growth.

A review of the success of campus's development is currently underway.

Felsted, Essex

Novell Tullett was lead consultant in a multi-disciplinary team, providing planning background, landscape and urban design consultancy for a brown-field, former sugar beet factory site within a Special Landscape Area in Essex. Archaeological investigation, wildlife conservation, habitat creation and consultation with national and local environmental bodies were necessary prior to commencement on site.

The project received favourable Inspector's reports at Local Plan Inquiry and Section 78 Inquiry and now has full planning consent. Novell Tullett's involvement includes implementation of the infrastructure works including water bodies, river works and local centre greens and sports fields. The first phase of implementation for a development of 650 houses was achieved in 1998.

Gatchell Oaks, Taunton

A development of sheltered accommodation proposed within a conservation area and the curtilage of a listed building. The original application had been appealed and dismissed by the planning inspector. Novell Tullett was able to gain consent for the Trust by creating a layout which protected the rural setting of the listed building whilst providing a sympathetic balance of new buildings and open garden spaces.

The resultant landscape is rich with flowering plants within a series of quiet, walled gardens. The wider landscape with its established trees and lawns is a fitting setting for the listed Gatchell House, now the management offices for the sheltered accommodation.

Greenline, Bristol

A tired 1970's streetscape in Broadmead is being refurbished by Novell Tullett to provide a high quality approach to Cabot Circus, opening in September 2008.

The scheme includes Broadmead East and Merchant Street South which emanate from the Podium, an important node in the retail heart of the city. The design integrates Wolf Buttress's art installation, bringing new identity and structure to the area whilst reducing street clutter and providing a clean and contemporary finish. It will unite three neighbouring areas: Cabot Circus to the east, Quakers Friars to the south and Broadmead BID to the west.

Hadleigh, Suffolk

At Hadleigh landscape proposals were developed alongside the landscape appraisal and visual assessment, for a proposed retail store on a brown-field site adjoining the river. The challenge was to enhance the character and quality of the adjacent riverside walk, the Hadleigh Conservation Area and the River Brett Special Landscape Area.

Nature conservation was critical throughout the design process. Ecological assessments were undertaken to protect riverside habitat and avoid adverse impact on protected species. The proposed landscape scheme was designed to provide an improved setting for the Conservation Area and integrate the proposed Tesco development into the urban and riverside landscape.

Harriet Irving Botanical Garden, Nova Scotia, Canada

Following the successful completion of the redesign of the Burial Ground in St John, the practice was commissioned jointly with Robert AM Stern Architects of New York, to design a new Environmental Science Centre and Botanical Garden for Acadia University, Nova Scotia.

This unique project was conceived to raise awareness and study the natural plant ecology of the Acadia Forest region, which extends from Labrador to the coast of Maine. The botanical gardens contains only native plants and has pond, marsh, stream, bog woodland and meadow habitats all created from scratch on a former housing site.

Hereford Learning Centre

Working with Architects Stubbs Rich, Novell Tullett designed the landscape masterplan for the campus redevelopment of a 6th form and further education college for Technology, Art & Design in Hereford.

New buildings were incorporated onsite, resulting in a 3 metre level difference between the upper and lower 'learning streets' focused on a central quad. All areas were accessible to disabled users. Novell Tullett created large scale, Corten and gabion retaining structures, with undulating earthworks for the quad spaces which responded to the robustness required of a highly trafficked student environment.

Monmouth

This scheme was the design of an important arrival space between a new visitor centre (designed by Alec French Architects) and the historic bridge across the River Monnow at Monmouth. The challenge was to provide a contemporary design which would work with the historic town setting and within the Environment Agency constraints for the river. Concept sketches illustrate the relationship between the space and the river, where a natural stone surface was proposed in scale with the medieval bridge and complimenting the materials of the visitor centre. This building will separate views to car parking from the key arrival point to the town. The scheme now has planning approval.

Picket Twenty, Andover

Novell Tullett was part of a multi-disciplinary team providing environmental planning, contextual and urban design advice on the form and landscape structure of the proposed development. The project had initially been to appraise alternative sites to ascertain the preferred location for 2,000 houses outside Andover, this led to in-depth studies at Picket Twenty. Landscape, ecological and visual assessment, along with impact assessment of the likely effect of increased recreation use on an area close to Harewood Forest was part of the master plan process. The site has now been allocated for a new residential development of 1,000 houses.

Platts Eyott, London TW1

Substantially derelict now, Platts Eyott, an island in the Thames at Richmond, was a WW1 boat-building yard for Thorneycroft. Novell Tullett's design responded to the character of the site, creating a series of new urban spaces between the wharves and riverside buildings; a new setting for the historic boatyards and buildings of townscape merit.

Contrasting with the urban quayside, the island's western plateau has a softer, secluded character giving a wooded framework to residential proposals. The balance of buildings to open space was carefully considered to retain a feeling of openness with strong links to the adjoining Green Belt.

Commercial Road, Portsmouth

Contiguous with the Northern Quarter, NT was commissioned to design the refurbishment of the Commercial Road for Portsmouth City Council. The design concept echoes the old tramline through the city's commercial heart, with a new performance space at the junction of the pedestrianised streets: Edinburgh and Commercial Road. The relocated market will frame this space, with a bespoke canopy and seating areas.

A robust paving scheme with both natural and man made materials, new trees and street furniture will complete the refurbishment of the street. Work starts on site late 2008.

Portsmouth Northern Quarter

After Bristol, Chapman Taylor asked for our appointment on this similar scale, mixed use, retail-led scheme in Portsmouth. Our urban design input helped gain approval from CABE, furthering their understanding of the connections, quality and scale of the new streetscape.

Using St Agatha's (a retained, listed church) as the lynchpin of the design, Novell Tullett strongly differentiated the streets' characters, to aid legibility throughout the quarter. Disparate buildings around the church were united around a dished space which also gives prominence to the church. Andrew Bell Street, a busy transport interchange, will be refocused to give priority to the pedestrian realm.

Quakers Friars

Adjoining Cabot Circus, Quakers Friars comprises a new square and curved street framing a scheduled ancient monument. A light touch to conserve archaeological remains and accommodate English Heritage's constraints was required at this Augustinian friary.

NT's proposals are contemporary in style, but allow the listed building to read within the new space. The design responds to different building facades: on the west side a quiet cloister will be created, and on the east a smart, open square with fountain and artist designed benches. A mature Plane tree forms a pivot point into the square with new fastigiate trees framing the classically austere building entrance.

Rose Hill

Rose Hill is a private house in the Quantock hills near Taunton. The house is visible from the AONB and some remodelling and conversion of ancillary accommodation was proposed within extant planning permission to improve the quality of this small estate.

Novell Tullett suggested improvements to the layout and configuration of the outbuildings, building a new length of wall to enclose a courtyard and reuse the old gravel drive improving the approach to the main house. A reduction of the building footprint was achieved by re-using the most serviceable of the buildings and limited new building. The overall effect is to improve the views of the house and its grounds from footpaths within the AONB.

Rowancroft, Exeter

A development of student housing adjoining existing university accommodation on a playing field site in Exeter. Novell Tullett's input helped to secure planning permission for the project with the submission of a detailed landscape scheme indicating the character and quality of the external works, the integration of the buildings in a highly visible site within a residential area and the protection of the setting of a listed building.

Sand-le-Mere, East Riding, Yorkshire

Novell Tullett provided the masterplan and co-ordinated the Environmental Assessment of this highly visible and ecologically sensitive landscape located inland of an eroding coast in the East Riding. The proposal was to relocate static caravans and a holiday park to adjoining farmland out of the prospective flood zone. The nature conservation value of the project was extremely high with habitat creation within the area of managed retreat. Consultation with Natural England and the Local Authority was an integral part of the development proposals. The masterplan included siting new amenity buildings and landscape, the relocation of an existing right of way and applications for grant funding for new woodlands.

Westgate Centre, Oxford

Novell Tullett, working with Chapman Taylor, was asked to undertake the detailed design and construction phases of this major city centre retail quarter.

The challenge was taking the outline design from the client's design team and developing it into a buildable scheme whilst maintaining the integrity of the pedestrian realm within a highly trafficked highway. Conflicting views between the highway authority and city planners needed resolution to gain approval of the scheme.