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Introduction
This report relates to a full planning application for a new 45,000 sq ft Tesco food store in Aviemore presented at an A+DS Design Review meeting held on 23rd August 2011 at Bakehouse Close, Edinburgh.

A+DS Views

1 Background
1.1 Site context
This is an important site for Aviemore, located at a prominent junction perceived to be the northern ‘gateway’ into the town centre. We recognise the Authority’s aspirations for the supermarket to be sensitively designed to reflect this and to contribute positively to Grampian Road and the Northern Link Road. We also note the proximity of the site relative to new residential developments to the west, existing buildings to the north and residential areas beyond, and the MacDonald Resort immediately to the south of the site across the Link Road and which currently has outline consent for a masterplan for the Aviemore Highland Resort.

1.2 Planning context
The site has previous detailed planning approval for a 30,000 sq ft store, and also current outline consent for a 45,000 sq ft supermarket. One of the basic conditions attached to the current outline consent is that the building should be located to the front of the site facing onto Grampian Road with parking to the rear (west). Other conditions of note include: the retention / management of an existing artificial pond located to the rear of the site, designated under a Nature Conservation Act; provision for a new pedestrian bridge between the proposed site and current residential development to the west; and the Authority’s desire to see land in front of the site (to the east) continuing to be available for the Cairngorms Farmers Market.

1.3 Additional design guidance
A draft Aviemore Urban Design Framework was prepared for Cairngorms National Park Authority in June 2010. The study is intended to provide a design framework to be adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance and to inform and complement the new local plan for the Aviemore area. The Framework makes specific reference to the proposed Tesco site and a preference for the building to present active frontages (accesses and windows) to the streets with parking to be provided to the rear.

2 Current proposals
2.1 Store location
We note that the Project Team has explored different solutions for the store’s location but that they have ultimately presented a solution that is contrary to the conditions of the outline consent in terms of the location of the store, and the retention of the pond. While the scheme brought forward might suit the applicants proposed store model, we are not convinced that the current scheme presents the best solution for the town centre in urban design terms. We feel a more bespoke solution that provides an active frontage to the street is required in keeping with the town’s National Park setting. The Tesco store at Ludlow in Shropshire demonstrates a pertinent example of such a solution where the Project Team have deviated from the standard store model to create a building which has car parking at the rear to create a street presence as well as incorporating a double fronted solution with entrances from both the street and the car park.

As regards the current scheme necessitating the removal of the existing artificial pond, we note that Cairngorms Planning Authority have yet to take a view with regards to management or retention of the existing amenity. We would defer to the Authority to advise on this matter, though clearly if the pond is to be retained the current designs would require to be substantially revised.

2.2 We encourage the Project Team to find a more suitable site arrangement that satisfies the operational requirements of the store and the conditions set by the Authority. For example, we suggest by pulling the building forward southeast to front onto the Link Road an active frontage could be created to the street and a stronger corner generated between it and Grampian Road. Additional active frontage could also be provided to the east by ‘wrapping’ that side of the building with a skin of active uses, be these extra retail or café facilities. We note the physical constraints of the site in terms of the amount of land available and potential difficulties with site levels, however, we would encourage a commitment to ingenuity in finding a solution that works for the greater benefit of the town.

2.3 Car park / landscaping / connectivity
While we welcome the intention for the store car park to double up and provide ‘dual purpose’ parking for the store and the town centre, and we are conscious of the wide catchment area anticipated for the store, we do question whether the site might incorporate less parking in order to allow the other imperatives on the site to be addressed. Also, we note the Project Team’s rationale for locating the car park at the front of the site to minimise walking distance between the car park and the town centre, however, we do not feel that in itself this should be a primary objective nor justify the loss of containment of the town fabric which will result from locating the store at the rear of the site.

We suggest that connections from car-parking to town centre should be considered in a manner which sees routes created which are linked into desire lines for the surrounding developments, and landscaping could be strengthened with a more robust planting strategy that links up the site through, for example, common choice of plant species. Notwithstanding its location, it is important that the car park is seen as ‘parking in a landscape’ rather than a swathe of tarmac with some perimeter planting. We support the measures being explored to help mitigate this, for example in bespoke timber trolley shelters and unifying dry-stone dykes.

The strip of land to the east of the site is currently being used as a Farmers Market. Notwithstanding that this space is out-with the site boundary of the current planning application, we suggest that there are opportunities to design the store in a way which facilitates better connections between the two areas. We welcome Tesco’s ambition to address this and encourage them to work with the Authority to help realise its potential.

2.4 Sustainability
We welcome Tesco’s commitment to rolling out zero carbon stores in the UK and abroad and encourage the Project Team to explore how this store might be one of them. We acknowledge reference to devices with the buildings fabric and technology to reduce the environmental impact of the building, such as incorporation of rooflights, monitoring of the store and use of a timber structure in the building.

3 Wider site considerations for Aviemore
3.1 Existing Tesco store site
We note the intention for the existing Tesco store site, located further south along Grampian Road, to be marketed once no longer required. We would encourage Cairngorms Park Authority to consider the potential impact of this space lying vacant for any length of time and whether any temporary mitigation measures might be put in place, if required, to ensure it remains an active piece of the townscape.

3.2 Aviemore Highland Resort
We note the uncertain nature of the potential development of the consented Aviemore Highland Resort masterplan for the area directly south of the proposed Tesco site. We question whether this current uncertainty presents any positive future opportunities for revisiting the current Link Road layout and roundabout, which is inherently anti-urban and unsatisfactory from a pedestrian and placemaking point of view.

Conclusion
We welcome the opportunity to comment on the current proposals for this prominent site at the north end of Aviemore town centre. We support the development of a new food store on the site in principle and commend Tesco’s ongoing commitment to developing zero carbon stores and bespoke solutions generally. However, we remain unconvinced that the scheme presented, which places the store at the rear of the site, is the best solution for Aviemore in urban design terms. We encourage the Project Team to explore alternative and more bespoke solutions that satisfy Tesco’s operational requirements whilst providing the community of Aviemore with a sustainable building that contributes positively to the area and is befitting of its National Park status. In doing so we encourage further development of more detailed issues with regards to the design of the landscape, car parking and potential connections to the adjacent Farmers Market to the east.

The Park Authority are encouraged to explore temporary solutions for the existing Tesco site in due course should the site be left vacant for any substantial amount of time. Any potential for the revisiting the as-built road layout and roundabout configuration at the junction of Grampian Road and the Link Road is also encouraged in the future as part of a desire to create a less anti-urban solution at the north end of the town. Reference is made to Designing Streets in this latter regard.