NEWS | Carnarvon Terrace in Clacton-on-Sea receives approval
Carnarvon Terrace, a mixed-use scheme in the heart of Clacton-on-Sea for Tendering District Council (TDC), has been given the go ahead.
At committee on 4th March 2025, TDC gave approval for the residential-led scheme, with members of the Planning Committee praising the quality of the design and the wider benefits the proposals will bring.
The proposed design aims to deliver 28 new homes, 40% of which will be affordable housing, to meet local demand and regenerate a key car park area notorious for antisocial behaviour.
Designed as a ‘green stepping stone’, the redevelopment seeks to balance urban activity with moments of pause, creating pedestrian-friendly areas that echo the finer grain of traditional British towns. This new green mobility route will connect the Civic Quarter with the sea front, offering easy access for pedestrians and cyclists while contributing to the town’s long-term ambitions.
Inverting the layout of the irregular site, with built up areas towards the perimeter, the site includes:
- A new public realm designed as a ‘green stepping stone’ to balance urban activity with moments of pause, creating pedestrian-friendly areas that echo the finer grain of traditional British cities. Green spaces, places to sit and rest, and places to play within the site are proposed to mediate between the building typologies. The landscape design recognises the role of life between buildings as an integral part of placemaking. This new green mobility route will connect the Station with the sea front, offering easy access for pedestrians and cyclists while contributing to the town’s long-term ambitions.
- A four-storey residential block, Carnarvon Terrace, with 28 new homes (40% of which will be affordable housing) to meet local demand. Acting as an introduction to the wider scheme, it provides a sense of permanence and activity with residents continuously inhabiting the space. Its design is pivotal in creating a seamless connection between the development and the surrounding environment.
- A series of flexible mixed-use spaces and innovative workspaces, run by the local authority, to foster local businesses, collaboration, and innovation in the heart of the town.
- A new four-storey parking, strategically relocated behind the existing supermarket to create a new green public amenity space while fulfilling parking demand. A celebrated steel framework forms the core, showcasing both strength and aesthetic appeal, with exposed structural elements as part of an “honest” design approach that pays homage to the sea-front character of the town. Passive surveillance has been carefully integrated into the project, fostering activity, life, and play throughout the heart of the scheme.
“We are pleased that the Planning Committee shared our vision and praised how the design contributes to the regeneration of Clacton-on-Sea’s town centre. This is a key milestone in turning Tendring District Council’s vision into reality. The scheme will bring much-needed green space and new homes, while providing space for the local community to thrive. More importantly, it sets out an ambition for Council-owned, redundant, or underused brownfields across regional England.”
Nick Edler, Associate Director at Conran and Partners
