Shrub Hill Spatial Blueprint | AR Urbanism

Shrub Hill, Worcester is a large, much-neglected inner city area with significant topography challenges, which consists of several major sites, differing in scale, function and content. Some of the sites include major heritage buildings and a range of other historic elements related to railway functions and other areas of manufacturing. Many buildings have been demolished over the years, some replaced with modern warehouse retail and minor office functions, while most of the remaining open areas are used for at-grade parking.

The site is defined by an under-used but potentially important railway station, Shrub Hill station, located at the highest point in the area, with views out over the city and towards the Malvern Hills. The heritage buildings are variously occupied by a range of SME uses and mostly in a state of risk in terms of their structures and maintenance. The area is separated from the city centre of Worcester by the historic Worcester and Birmingham Canal as well as modern structures, including a large shopping centre, bus garage and multi-storey car parks.

AR Urbanism’s role was leading a multi-disciplinary team to work with the local authority clients in developing a concept masterplan and design guidance based on an employment-led mix of uses. This will transform the area into a genuinely well-connected and mixed neighbourhood, enhancing the heritage assets and linking the presently under-utilised railway station to the redevelopment area, to the city centre and to the suburbs beyond the site and station.

The site currently has little green space or permeable surface area, therefore embedding new green space into the plots as they are developed, as well as creating new green links throughout the area, is a fundamental part of the future vision for the site, taking steps towards sustainable ‘future-proofing’ of Worcester City. New paths and areas of public realm beside the existing canal, as well as new and upgraded bridges and bio-diverse wildlife corridors along this ‘blue link’ through the site are also envisaged.