Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) introduced the item and discussed:

 

a) The City Living Framework represented one of the most significant and ambitious pieces of work the Council had undertaken in recent years, focused on reintroducing high-quality residential living into Plymouth city centre;

 

 

b) Plymouth’s economy was forecast to grow substantially;

 

i)               Estimates indicating growth to £13.5 billion by 2035 and £25 billion by 2050, driven in a large part by defence related investment;

 

ii)              Defence-led growth alone was expected to generate demand for approximately 10,880 new homes, much of which would be required within the next eight years;

 

iii)            Failure to deliver sufficient housing risked delays to nationally significant infrastructure projects, including Devonport Dockyard investment;

 

iv)            The Council had committed to regenerating the city centre through housing led development, including a Memorandum of Understanding with Homes England, which had already committed £34 million towards delivery at Bath Street and the Civic Centre;

 

v)              Plymouth had been shortlisted as one of 12 potential locations for a government designated new town, representing a significant opportunity for the city;

 

c) Unlike many UK cities, Plymouth had moved away from city centre living post-war, creating both challenges and opportunities to demonstrate how modern urban living could succeed when delivered well;

 

 

d) The City Living Framework would focus on high-quality architecture, strong public transport, vibrant retail and cultural offer, and a thriving evening and nighttime economy, creating a city centre where people actively chose to live.

 

 

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) added:

 

 

e) Urban living presented challenges but also significant opportunities, and confidence was high that the appointed team had the expertise to deliver a successful framework;

 

 

f) The work provided an opportunity for Plymouth to act as a national exemplar for city centre regeneration;

 

 

g) Engagement with communities and stakeholders would be central to ensuring the framework reflected Plymouth’s character and aspirations.

 

 

David Draffan (Service Director for Economic Development) introduced the consultant team and invited Jim Coleman (Head of Economic Advisory and Chief Economist, WSP) to speak. He added:

 

 

h) WSP felt privileged to be appointed to lead the City Living Framework and City Centre Master Plan, recognising Plymouth as a unique city with exceptional natural, built and strategic assets;

 

 

i) Plymouth’s role in defence and national security placed it among the most strategically important cities in the UK and Europe, bringing long-term investment opportunities;

 

 

j) The commission comprised two linked pieces of work: a strategic City Living Framework for the wider city centre, and a more detailed master plan for the core city centre area;

 

 

k) The framework would address housing, transport, social infrastructure, utilities, public realm and green space, ensuring the city functioned effectively for existing and future residents;

 

 

l) WSP was coordinating a multidisciplinary consortium combining global expertise with strong local knowledge, ensuring proposals were both ambitious and deliverable;

 

 

m) Extensive engagement and consultation would run throughout the project, involving residents, businesses, cultural organisations, universities and communities across the city;

 

 

n) The work would build on Plymouth’s progress over the past two decades while responding to a new era shaped by defence investment, technological change and new national policy directions;

 

Introduced consortium partners, including Howell’s Architects, LHC Design, Gillespie Yunnie Architects, Mae,, Makower, Lavigne Lonsdale, , DNCO and other specialists, noting the importance of aligning the framework with Plymouth’s emerging brand and identity.

 

Glenn Howells (Partner, Howells Architects) discussed:

 

 

o) The commission was a personal and professional privilege, having begun his career in Plymouth and retained strong ties to the city;

 

 

p) Plymouth’s combination of waterfront, heritage, access to countryside and industrial ingenuity was unmatched among UK cities;

 

 

q) Delivering approximately 10,000 new homes required not just volume but quality, variety and appropriate density, supporting economic vitality and social wellbeing;

 

 

r) Reintroducing residents to the city centre would revitalise retail, employment, culture and the wider economy;

 

s) Lessons from regeneration projects in Birmingham, East London and Brisbane demonstrated the importance of long-term vision, partnership working and delivery focus;

 

 

t) The framework would prioritise health and wellbeing, sustainable transport, green infrastructure and inclusive design;

 

 

u) Early phases of work would focus on listening to communities and understanding Plymouth before defining and testing a bold but achievable vision.

 

 

Graeme Divine (Director, LHC Design) discussed:

 

 

v) Plymouth was his home, and participation in the framework was both a professional and personal opportunity;

 

 

w) LHC Design brought deep local knowledge, urban design and landscape architecture expertise, and experience delivering major Plymouth projects;

 

 

x) The team’s role included ensuring proposals were grounded in the city’s character and capable of delivery;

 

 

y) The framework needed to become a living, actionable document rather than a static report.

 

 

Alex Ely (Founder Director, Mae)), attending remotely, discussed:

 

 

z) The project presented an opportunity to reimagine Plymouth city centre as a desirable and connected place to live;

 

 

aa) The work would focus on repairing disconnections between the city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods;

 

 

bb) The framework aimed to instil pride, identity and long-term sustainability in the city centre.

 

 

In response to questions, Cabinet discussed:

 

 

cc) The importance of meaningful engagement with local people, including those living in, working in, and using the city centre;

 

 

dd) The need to avoid technical language such as “stakeholders” and instead focus on inclusive engagement with residents and communities;

 

 

ee) How culture and the creative industries would be embedded into the framework, supporting Plymouth’s ambitions including the City of Culture bid;

 

 

ff) The role of transport and connectivity in a peninsula city, including links between the city centre, wider city and region;

 

 

gg) The importance of changing perceptions of Plymouth as peripheral and reinforcing its role as the capital of the Southwest;

 

 

hh) The need to retain graduates, families and future generations within the city by providing high-quality homes and opportunities.

 

 

Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) concluded by emphasising:

 

 

ii) The generational importance of the City Living Framework;

 

 

jj) The Council’s confidence in the appointed team’s expertise, passion and understanding of Plymouth;

 

 

kk) The shared ambition to create a liveable, confident and successful 21st century city centre for future generations.

 

 

Cabinet agreed:

 

 

1.     To note the presentation and initial approach to the City Living Framework and City Centre Master Plans.

 

 

2.     To support continued engagement and development of the framework and master planning work.