ABSTRACT
Having considered both the local commitment and capacity to respond to the
impact of the bombing, it is now opportune to sketch out the development of a
framework for renewing the city centre. This was to be achieved through the
development and refining of a masterplan, and the translation of this vision into an
implementation instrument capable of ensuring the successful rebuilding of the
core. That this was to be attempted within an impossible timeframe and real
resource constraints – whilst retaining the functional capacity and continuing
competitiveness of the city centre – has proved to be a remarkable achievement
worthy of wider dissemination. The present chapter considers the context set by
the existing strategic framework, and the emergence of a successful
masterplanning vision for the renewal programme. It then proceeds to consider
the process of transforming the draft vision (autumn 1996) into a tangible and
achievable implementation plan (spring 1997), intended to underpin and set the
parameters for the recovery process. As already noted, the competition brief had
already set out a clear client perspective, incorporating the interests of both public
and private sector stakeholders, and had stressed the importance of producing
both a deliverable masterplan and one that facilitated an enhanced city centre and
development quality.
