In brief 

City design company InterTech’s new website shows how Hull could look in the future, including the transformation of the former St Andrew’s Dock.

BY ANGUS YOUNG

A Hull design company has launched a new website aimed at showing how the city could look in the future.

Using 3-D computer animated videos, photographs and text , the site includes an imagined view of a transformed St. Andrew’s Dock complete with visitor attractions, new facilities and restored historic features and puts forward its own proposal for a permanent memorial to the city’s lost trawlermen at the dock.
The site also pitches the idea of having a new tidal clock being constructed at the entrance to the city’s Marina.

Earlier this week the Mail revealed how Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson had called on public regeneration bodies to consider buying the derelict part of the former dock. Its current owners are in administration.

Andrew Fenton, a director at design and marketing consultancy Inter Tech, Amsterdam Road, Sutton Fields, said the intention behind the website was to raise the debate about the quality of urban design both in Hull and beyond.

“Urban design is the process of shaping the space in which we live,” he explained.
“How urban design fits into the professional world is an area of continuing debate and is one of the main reasons behind developing this website,” he said.

Mr Fenton said he was also spurred into action by his own frustrations over the apparent lack of progress on the ground at historic sites in Hull such as St. Andrew’s Dock.

“I come from a fishing family and have always had an interest in what was going to happen at the dock.
“Our idea for the heritage dock concept shows how it could look if it was restored to its original water-filled condition. “It is clear to us that simply installing yet another retail park would be a completely wasted opportunity here. “Of course, retail stores can and do create jobs and can yield good returns in business rates but at what cost in this case.?”

The site includes interactive features were visitors can submit their own opinions on each hypothetical concept schemes.

Mr Fenton said the wider remit of hullnow.co.uk was to question current thinking on urban design and offer constructive criticism on key issues, such as the application of business rates, city centre nightlife development and neighbourhood planning.

On each issue, the site highlights examples – both good and bad – in Hull.
“We need to find more exciting ways of applying changes to our local communities. We need to engage younger people into the process. We need to keep people informed of all the major decisions. Maybe then our urban communities would take more pride in their surroundings.” he added.