Stoke HS2 and City Centre Masterplan

Ryder Architecture was commissioned to develop city wide spatial strategies and concept station proposals to support the development of Stoke’s business case in response to the government’s HS2 consultation.

The initial brief was to develop a number of options for the integration of a new international HS2 station in the centre of Stoke-on-Trent, supporting the vision to grow the city region population from 470,000 to 750,000.  Ryder engaged as part of a comprehensive team including strategic rail planning, rail engineering, environmental and economic consultants.

The new HS2 station quarter will become the primary central business district of Stoke-on-Trent, attracting blue chip companies, creating in excess of 10,000 new jobs and complementing commercial development elsewhere in the city. Smaller development areas around St Mark’s and Kings Street will act as stepping stones between the HS2 development, the university quarter, Stoke-on-Trent city centre and Newcastle town centre.

Subsequently, Ryder prepared a city centre masterplan to transform the existing poor quality urban environment and assist the council in articulating the opportunity to the retail market, identifying proposals for development sites and developing guidelines for the improvement of frontages, public realm and movement strategies.  Urban blocks were designed to provide frontage along existing and new routes, including a proposed green boulevard which connects currently fragmented areas of the city centre. The grid was carefully designed to provide good quality links between the urban core, surrounding neighbourhoods, local heritage sites, and the existing network of canals, open spaces and pedestrian and cycle routes.