This project is based in Toton, seeking to design a masterplan that would enable the existing community to adapt to the arrival of HS2. The impact that the new HS2 station will have on this small suburban community is enormous, and could worsen Toton’s pre-existing problems. Through an extensive programme of engagement with the Neighbourhood Forum we were able to identify and map the positive and negative aspects of living in Toton and the value of different elements of the built environment.
Our masterplan was based around the idea of adaptability over time, taking an infrastructure first approach by designing a framework around which future housing, employment and retail typologies could grow. We proposed a new heart for Toton, providing community facilities and adaptable new housing, with a distinct but linked new business and retail centre around the HS2 station. The different elements are phased over time so each can grow independently according to demand.
