A planning application has been submitted for the redevelopment of St Botolph’s Quarter in central Colchester, marking a key milestone in the city’s wider regeneration plans. Masterplanned by Haworth Tompkins, with landscape design by LDA Design, this major public realm scheme has been developed with Colchester City Council and LCR Property, to transform the area into a more connected, welcoming and vibrant destination.
At the heart of the £7 million scheme is a new public realm centred around the ruins of the 11th-century St Botolph’s Priory, the first Augustinian priory in England. The project will convert an existing car park into a lively new plaza, St Botolph’s Square and introduce a green, inclusive walking route from Colchester Town station through the Priory Gardens and onto Castle Park.
The design, developed in consultation with Historic England and English Heritage, aim to restore the lost layout of the Priory Gardens with new footpaths, seating, and planting. The scheme enhances access to this Scheduled Ancient Monument and supports community use through spaces for events and markets.
This first phase of the masterplan reflects extensive community engagement, led by our collaborator HAT Architects, and lays the foundation for longer-term regeneration across the city centre by 2030.
Five Haworth Tompkins projects have secured six shortlist places across the 2026 AJ Architecture Awards and NLA Awards. The recognition reflects the breadth of our expertise across culture, housing, regeneration and masterplanning - from the sensitive transformation of listed cultural buildings to major residential developments and urban masterplans.
Planning permission has been secured for the first phase of the transformation of St Botolph's Quarter in central Colchester, marking an important milestone in the city's long-term regeneration.
Pembroke Mill Lane for Pembroke College, Cambridge, has been shortlisted for the 2026 RIBA Stirling Prize, the UK's most prestigious award for architecture.
Wonderful to see the new performance spaces at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) alive with performance, rehearsal and teaching.
Pembroke Mill Lane, Cambridge has received a RIBA National Award.
Haworth Tompkins has been shortlisted in two categories at this year's Building Design Architect of the Year Awards.
We are so pleased to see The Court Theatre continue to receive industry recognition, with multiple honours at Friday night's Property Council New Zealand Industry Awards, including the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Judges' Choice Award.
In the second of three NLA articles, Tom Gibson, Associate Director at Haworth Tompkins, reflects on the practice’s international mass timber projects and the lessons they offer for timber construction in the UK.
| 25.03.26 | Mass Timber Design Innovations: from fire strategy to carbon reduction, the challenges and opportunities of designing with timber. → |
| 30.10.25 | Construction Reaches Topping Off Milestone for the New Home of the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University → |
| 28.07.25 | Haworth Tompkins reveals plans for the redevelopment of Grade I listed De La Warr Pavilion → |
| 13.05.25 | Haworth Tompkins to lead design of affordable housing in £2.5 Billion York Central Regeneration → |