Detailing and personalisation
The personal touch can give a street a strong sense of identity and individuality. Simple, bespoke street furniture using tough, natural materials can be cost-effective, attractive and robust. Artwork, planting or benches can change the sense of place and give residents a better sense of ownership.
This could be achieved in the following ways:
Bespoke planters
No pavement extension means no need for drainage provision and shallow or no excavation means minimum disturbance of utilities. Expert input can maximize biodiversity and visual interest. Long term maintenance could be adopted by residents ideally, or the local authority if not.
Benches
A bench can provide a resting or meeting place and help to create a more people friendly street.
Planting
The introduction of plants is a fantastic way of improving the look of your street. Plants can also act as traffic calming measures either by reducing straight sight lines for drivers or by physically creating a chicane which drivers have to negotiate. In addition designing the planting scheme and maintaining the beds or planters provides a way of getting to know your neighbours.
Artwork
Artwork can transform a street environment whilst at the same time providing a useful function in reducing vehicle speed acting either as psychological traffic calming or as physical traffic calming such helping to create a pinch point or gateway. This does not necessarily need to be expensive and could involve the residents making it themselves.
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