BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL CENTRO MIC~LAND METRO BITE SIZE CHUNKS INITIATIVES DESIGN GUIDE &OUTLINE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT JANUARY 1998 CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 1. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY 2 2. CONTEXT, ASSESSMENT &ILLUSTRATIVE LAYOUTS 3 • Snow Hili Queensway/Colmore Circus/The Priory 4ueensway/Old Square/Bull Street 5 • Corporation Street/Stephenson Place/Stephenson Street 9 • Navigation Street/Pinfold StreeUHill Street (upper)/ (Holliday Street) off-road section/Paradise Street/Paradise Circus 13 • Priory Queensway/Masshouse Circus/Moor Street Queensway 18 • St. Martin's Circus (north)/Smalibrook Queensway/Hill Street (lower) 22 • Centenary Square/Broad Street/Fiveways 26 3. ILLUSTRATIVE DESIGN 30 592/BlrmineMm M~tm -BNB SI:M Chunkf InRlalWa UrWn Initiatives ....... ....... ....... INTRODUCTION in 1994 Urban Initiatives prepared a report for Birmingham City Council and Centro, that examined possible options fora street running Metro system in the City Centre. The work was undertaken as part of the Line 2 strategy planned to link Five Ways in the City, to the NEC and International Airport. The public position at that time was for underground running through the City Centre. Powers for the construction of the tunnel under the City Centre have now been abandoned by Centro. The Compulsory Purchase Powers for the lines expired in March 1997 and outline planning permissions are valid until the year 2002/3. This means that Centro are now only pursuing 'street running' as a means to link the City Centre to Metro Line 1 and possible future line extensions. Due to limited finance currently available for light rail systems, the possibility of securing funding for large projects similar in scale to Midland Metro Line 1 is remote. Consideration has therefore been given to more fundable and achievable extensions to Line 1 and has been termed the Bite Size Chunks Initiative (BSCI). One element of the BSCI is the identification of a surface running extension from Line 1 at Snow Hill into the City Centre as far as Five Ways. A study carried out jointly by Centro and the City Council Indicates that there are two possible route options for connecting Snow Hiii Station to Five Ways, via New Street Station. These routes are indicated on Plan 1 opposite. This current document provides a more detailed look at the engineering options in urban design terms to identify potential visual and other environmental impacts. The goal of the report is to aid officers, councillors and the local community in making an informed comparison of the two route options so that a preferred option can be considered. However, ft has been emphasised by officers from the City that the purpose of this exercise is to assess the impact of the development and operation of the Metro system through the City centre so that participants in the consultation process can decide whether or not the system will be of benefit to the City. ayunumm¢nam mean - o¢e o¢ea ~nunKs mrturne Page 1 Urban Initiatives ....... ....... DESIGN PHILOSOPHY ....... The leading principle guiding both Centro and the City Council is the development of a public transport system of a quality to rival other world class cities. Sheffield and Manchester have pioneered the contemporary urban metro, providing Birmingham with an opportunity to avoid the pitfalls each of these systems have encountered. The development of Line 1 has also provided valuable knowledge and experience. This street running option will complement and bring improvements to the existing public transport infrastructure. It is not intended to replace it. What it will replace is the private transport modes that are currently reducing the quality of urban life for the citizens of Birmingham. The general benefits that the metro will bring to the City Centre include improvements to the physical environment; reduction in noise and pollution; safer streets; improved accessibility; and, greater pedestrian priority. aT~"' .~ ~~ The philosophy adopted in the development of this report, embraces a series of key objectives that are endorsed by Centro and the City Council. These include: • Sensitive integration of the proposed system into the fabric of the city, responding to the high quality spaces and building frontages that exist; • Integration with the current development proposals and initiatives along the proposed routes, particularly: The Gun Quarter; The Post and Mail Site; Colmore Square; Old Square Enhancement; Martineau Galleries; Masshouse Area Masterplan; Digbeth Millennium Quarter; The Buil Ring; The Convention Centre Quarter; Grindley Place; and, Fiveways Enhancement. • Minimising the impact of traffic in the City Centre to provide a more pedestrian friendly environment; Develop an "International" design quality for the line which complements, responds to and promotes the City Centre; • Minimise the impact of the system and other transport infrastructure on the City Centre through co-ordinated design strategies. This will involve reducing street clutter, sharing of equipment, signs and furniture, and reducing the impact of poles and overhead cables; • Promoting the use of robust, high quality materials and design detailing techniques; 2nd, Providing opportunities for the involvement of artists in the production of station designs and public art integration 59y91Imin{dam Metro • 91ta SIieC G~unkf InttlatN~ Page 2 11rWn InitlatN~s ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ r ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ CONTEXT &ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ There are few trees in the City Centre that will be directly affected by the route options. Those that are will obviously require protection of both their root systems and canopies. In some instances trees will be lost through conflicts with the road alignment or the overhead wires. To mitigate this loss and to additionally improve the environment of the route options, appropriate opportunities should be sought throughout the design process to plant new trees. Any recently planted trees likely to be impacted upon may be transplanted to new positions and where appropriate replaced at the conclusion of the construction period. Although few trees will be physically impacted upon at first inspection, more trees than first anticipated may be affected by air borne dust or 'chemical' run-off. This will need to be carefully monitored during the construction period. Regular watering of affected canopies will prevent damage occurring. Care in the use and storage of site chemicals (including fuels) will protect ground water. Dust may also have an impact on road signs, street lights, benches and public spaces generally. This may require washing down of these elements. During operation of the Metro system, the environment will be vastly improved for all users of the streets and adjacent properties through the reduction or removal of existing traffic. Metro speeds will be very low in comparison with the current traffic and the impacts minimal. The design and planning process must ensure that maximum accessibility is maintained for pedestrians and service vehicles. This will be achieved through the careful location of stops, and the inclusion of defined crossing places where required. The main operational impact will be specific intermittent high level noises experienced in the new 'quiet environment. Although these impacts are impossible to predict, the location of the potential impacts are known. These impacts will be at the points where the track is at its minimum radius in vertical and horizontal alignment - hills and corners. These impacts can be minimised through effective long term maintenance of the vehicles and track or by imposing speed limits at those locations. Further information on possible mitigation measures for minimising potential 'wheel squeal' is contained in the Noise, Vibration and Dust Report prepared by Stranger Science and Environment. Visual impacts can be minimised through the design process. There will, however, be a premium to be paid to achieve this. 592/Blrmin4ham Metro -Bite Sled Chunks Initiative P=8e 4 U rhan INtlativea ....... ....... SNOW HILL QUEENSWAY/COLMORE CIRCUS/THE PRIORY QUEENSWAY/OLD SQUARE/BULL STREET ....... CONTEXT These sections of the route pass between the Conservation Areas of Colmore Row and Steelhouse with The Priory Queensway marking one boundary of the latter. There are no Listed buildings fronting these route options. There are several development opportunities and proposals in this area as well as some recently completed schemes. Major development sites relating to the route include: • The Foyer housing scheme on St. Chad's Circus; • The Great Charles Street sites which could provide possible commercial and coach station facilities; • The Snow Hill Phase II development site adjacent to the station; • The Colmore Square office proposal; and, The Martineau Galleries shopping centre. Other changes scheduled to take place over these sections of the route are primarily traffic orientated. Through traffic will be taken out of these roads and new signals and crossing facilities provided. All existing subways will be closed and filled in.. Old Square is scheduled to be filled-in and remodelled to provide greater pedestrian space. The south eastern link of Colmore Circus and The Priory Queensway from Old Square to Masshouse Circus will also be pedestrianised. All of these traffic improvements and changes are assumed to be in place prior to any Metro construction. THE ROUTE These options are illustrated on Pig.l The line will peel away from Line 1 outside Snow Hill station on a new viaduct raking down to