The team taking forward the Marlowe Road and Wood Street Plaza redevelopment will be at this Saturday’s Christmas Fayre to share their latest plans for the estate and the Plaza, and to hear your concerns and views.

Developers Countryside and Stitch Architects were recently appointed to take forward the project. As well as the phased demolition and rebuilding of the Marlowe Road estate, it will also lead to new buildings nearby and a new footprint, layout and design for the Plaza and the space around Northwood Tower. Following an approach from Wood Street First, supported by the local Business Forum, representatives from the development team and the Council and Ascham Homes will be staffing a stall at the event.

There will be large-scale plans on display, and also a 3-d model with the opportunity for comment. And we are hoping that Dolly – Wood Street’s wooden busybody, who some of you may remember from the Wood Street Build project run by Architects E17 earlier this year – will also make a welcome reappearance.

The event should mark a new phase in public consultation and engagement around the project. The team also plans to organise a public consultation event in the New Year at a local venue. Details are still being firmed up, but the likely date will be Saturday 7 February 2015, probably between 2 and 5 pm – so make a note in your diary.

The plans and model will also be available for the public to view at the project shop, the former police office at 168 Marlowe Road – about 100 metres up from the car park behind the post office, on the right hand side of the road. The plans can be viewed every Weds from 2-5 pm (and on the last Weds of the month between 2 and 8 pm). Members of the development team will be there to discuss the project and answer your questions. We understand the plans are due to go to the Council for formal planning consideration some time before May 2015.

Wood Street First has previously raised concerns about this project. We have not yet seen the plans in detail, and will give our views in due course. But this news is a welcome response to our call for a meaningful, open, transparent engagement process with the wider community around these important plans for our area. We would encourage everyone who cares about the future of the Plaza to get involved and make your views known.