The Olympic mountain bike course in Essex will open to the public now that the London 2012 Games are over following Castle Point Borough Council’s vote on 31st July to allow a planning application for legacy proposals submitted by CBA on behalf of Essex County Council.

In addition to retaining and adapting the Olympic mountain bike course at Hadleigh Farm for public use, the plans will also deliver access and environmental improvements for the adjacent Hadleigh Country Park.  These include creation of multi-use recreation trails, a new visitor centre and business units, as well as grassland habitat restoration and new heritage interpretation.

The venue played host to the Olympic mountain bike event on 11th and 12th August.

The Olympic mountain bike course in Essex will open to the public now that the London 2012 Games are over following Castle Point Borough Council’s vote on 31st July to allow a planning application for legacy proposals submitted by CBA on behalf of Essex County Council.

In addition to retaining and adapting the Olympic mountain bike course at Hadleigh Farm for public use, the plans will also deliver access and environmental improvements for the adjacent Hadleigh Country Park.  These include creation of multi-use recreation trails, a new visitor centre and business units, as well as grassland habitat restoration and new heritage interpretation.

The venue played host to the Olympic mountain bike event on 11th and 12th August.

CBA’s Senior Director, Chris Blandford, was invited to the HQ of Lappset and Rovio to participate in workshops to explore site planning and design ideas for the Angry Birds themed play zones and parks implemented by Lappset.  The team visited the latest angy Birds Zone recently implemented in the Sarkannierni Theme Park near Tampere. Lappset Group Oy are a premier Finnish manufacturer of high quality pay equipment and have a joint venture with Rovio who produce the Angry Birds computer games.  Both parties are actively promoting their themed play zones and products in the UK, and Far East.  CBA have an on-going dialogue with Lappset for future major project development. 

Working with local consultant Conseco, CBA prepared a vision, masterplan, design guidance, and a heritage conservation and interpretation strategy for the historic village of Jazierah Al Hamra in Ras Al Khama, UAE.  Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development and Investment Co. (TDIC) has endorsed and approved the Masterplan.

The traditional village of Jazierah Al Hamra, 65 hectares in size, contains historic mosques, fort, souk, and courtyard houses. It is one of the last surviving traditional settlements left in the country. The vision and masterplan envisages a vibrant and successful heritage village which is a visitor destination and which will bring a new mix of uses, promotes cultural and tourism activities and benefits to the local community. CBA’s plan blends the conservation of the traditional townscapes and the provision of visitor facilities and activities to breathe life back into the village. The interpretation strategy highlights the legacy of maritime trading, pearling, defence and local neighbourhood living.

Weblink: www.tdic.ae

The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) has appointed CBA’s design team in association with local consultant PACE to masterplan, design, and deliver an innovative ‘green’ visitor centre and demonstration sustainable landscape for urban areas.  On a 5 hectare site it has a prestigious location in Kuwait City overlooking the Arabian Gulf.  It will promote more sustainable practices in the creation of urban landscapes in the arid Gulf Cities.  A blend of research, education, and visitor experiences, it will in particular explore and demonstrate how appropriate indigenous plants and ecosystems can contribute to ‘greening’ of urban areas without an over dependence on exotic and ornamental landscapes.  In recent years in Kuwait and elsewhere in the Gulf the latter have characterised many urban landscape schemes.  The Urban Greenery Centre in Kuwait will seek to initiate a change in this approach.

As part of the Tibbalds HCA Multidisciplinary team, CBA has been appointed by the London Borough of Camden to provide landscape architectural services for Greenwood Place Community Centre – Adult Care Services.  Previous public consultation led by PCKO and Kim Sangster Associates has explored how buildings and spaces can meet the complex needs of a range of user groups including groups with cognitive and sensory impairments, physical disabilities, dementia and mental disabilities.  CBA’s role in the design team will focus on the creation of a sensitive outdoor environment and landscapes as context for the Centre and apartments, improved accessibility and new pedestrian routes into the site.

Weblinks: www.tibbaldsmultidisciplary.co.uk       www.pcko.co.uk 

The community-led regeneration of Lordship Recreation Ground, Tottenham's largest park, was recognised by an award in the ‘Most Improved Park’ category in the Fields in Trust Awards 2012.

CBA led the team responsible for the design of the £5m improvement scheme, which was completed over the last 18 months. 

The new facilities and features include a brand-new flower-lined channel for the River Moselle, a new ‘Loop’ bike track and an Environmental Hub building with café and classroom, refurbishment of the Shell Theatre, restoration of the historic and nationally-unique Model Traffic Area, new meadows, flower-beds and tree planting, and general improvements to drainage, paths and entrances.