Beckside Development - Beverley, East Yorkshire
A murky-looking stretch of water that had become a dumping ground for rubbish, a playground for vandals, an eyesore to locals and a tragedy for conservationists has been dramatically transformed by a visionary £30 million regeneration to become one of East Yorkshire’s property hotspots...
As BDA Managing Director, Ken Norman explains:
"The Beckside regeneration scheme represented a tremendous feat of architectural problemsolving, drawing on our 25-year track record and immense team skill. The area was, to all intents and purposes, a grim and derelict wasteland, which on first appraisal seemed to give us a blank canvas in terms of potential. Of course, the reality was a far cry from this and we had to overcome many hurdles before arriving at a blueprint that satisfied everyone."
Most prominently, everyone knows that a waterfront community will be a sure-fire success in terms of the property market, but unusually, major consideration also had to be given to non-residents, as the Beck has always provided a well-used public right of way, particularly popular with local fishermen and dog-walkers. Then there were the conservation issues to consider - native wildlife not only had to be maintained, but encouraged. Furthermore, the urban fabric and existing designs of the area had to be embraced to reflect the history and grandeur of the town.
In short, what we had to achieve was the provision of a substantial residential development that not only re-created a natural beauty spot, but was also sensitive to its environs - and that’s exactly what we’ve done.
ECOLOGY, ECONOMY AND HARMONY
Thanks to the development, funding for the dredging and improvement of the watercourse was granted and the Beck has now been returned to its former glory, providing an immaculately landscaped centrepiece to the Beckside development. Today, almost 400 sympatheticallydesigned homes sit along both banks of the watercourse, creating one of the region’s most desirable locations and a vibrant canal-side community. Beckside has also benefited from a variety of additions and enhancements that have improved both the style and quality of the development, as well as the appeal of this popular public thoroughfare...
- new footpaths
- boundary fencing
- low-key lighting
- extensive planting
- occasional seating
In total, the project, has taken 6 years to complete, but in that time, Beckside has once again become one of Beverley’s key focal points, satisfying the needs and expectations of everyone concerned.
A well-balanced mix of property styles is available, including townhouses, duplexes, apartments and cottages. The scheme has been a huge hit with local buyers - many sold off-plan and all realising a phenomenal increase in value since the project began in the late 1990s.
Minster Wharf was the final part of the development, situated at the apex of the Beckside regeneration. Comprising 21 individually-designed apartments - each with its own highly distinct personality - these stylish dwellings are arranged around a V-shaped inner courtyard facing the town’s majestic and ancient Minster. As a prime example of these exceptional and inspiring designs, you only have to look at the character-packed second-storey apartments.
"The Beverley Beck regeneration has been an amazing project for our practice and we are absolutely delighted with the outcome. We started with a strong design belief and remained steadfastly committed to this throughout. We have more than satisfied the initial brief and in doing so, have created a powerful synergy between today's lifestyle and yesteryear's charm... something, I'm very proud to say, which has been an unequivocal success." As Ken Norman concludes:
