Feasibility study

Our interest in the landmark east competition grew from Urban Initiatives's work in Bedford for English Partnerships. Bedford, a town on the edge of the London and also the Midlands and yet within the eastern region offers a particular challenge and one that we saw as a symbol of the competition. How do you give identity to a region that has at the same time diverse character and yet no coherent public view of that character?

The eastern region is noted for its relative flatness yet this is not a true characteristic, it has a long coastline and yet much of its character is based on its agricultural countryside. The one aspect, which unites the area, is the extent and variety of water within the area. With Urban Initiatives work in Bedford and Ipswich as a spur, we have developed the competition winning entry to respond to the conditions in these two towns whilst also investigating other places in the region that offer similar opportunities.

For the purposes of the final report we have given further information on the master planning initiatives currently in place in these two towns whilst also updating and elaborating on the work being done in other towns and cities notably Chelmsford, Colchester, Kings Lynn and Peterborough.