BACKGROUND

OOBE has won a bid alongside Ryder Architecture to develop the landscape masterplan for Hexham Middle School and Queen Elizabeth High School.

THE CONCEPT

The landscape strategy provides a site that is comfortable, professional, welcoming and calm, whilst enhancing the character of this mature and sensitive site. It provides an appropriate physical and visual setting for the new schools and listed buildings. This will bring a high-quality and legible environment that is accessible by all users with increased visual and pedestrian connectivity across the site, clear cycling, segregated vehicular circulation and servicing arrangements. Biodiversity will be enhanced through the creation of new native habitats via soft landscape proposals.

DEVELOPMENT

The main objective for the local authority and the school was to create a site that housed both the high school and middle school on the same site, and although they shared external sports and car parking facilities would operate independently. This included providing separate pedestrian entrances and external play areas for each school and year groups. The site had many challenges including mature and unique tree stock, a steep level change across the site (circa 28m), a listed building and walled garden, a split site divided by a public right of way and the reprovision of the community sports facilities and the existing community garden.

RESULTS

The proposed landscape infrastructure works with the existing topography, features and mature landscape to create a distinctive scheme that is respectful of the existing setting and listed buildings, whilst meeting the end users requirements.