Planners in city set their sights too low

"I think the planners set their sights too low," he says.

"We don't appreciate Worcester and its position in the cultural heritage of the country enough."

Born in the Arboretum, the 41-year-old landscape architect has designed urban schemes for the City of Birmingham, Derby and Wolverhampton.

Mr Greenway set up his own business in Worcester four years ago and his work here includes the landscaping of a social housing scheme in Wyld's Lane, the Register Office garden at County Hall and a replanting scheme in Britannia Square.

Twenty-six trees, which were planted too closely and choking their neighbours, were replaced with more appropriate planting, including landmark trees such as cedars of Lebanon.

"No one had been brave enough to do it before," said Mr Greenway.

"It took more than two years to get all the necessary approval and each hole we dug had to have a full archaeological survey, but it opened up lost vistas across the Georgian square. It means our children will have something to enjoy in the future." Having worked for Birmingham City Council for nine years, Mr Greenway says he is sympathetic to the problems facing planners, but they need to respect the long training and experience of professional architects and sometimes bow to their ideas.

"Some dreadful buildings are given permission because they comply with regulations and tick all the right boxes, but the design content doesn't seem to be evaluated," he said.

"We need to produce more visual evidence that the design is fit for the opportunity that is presented before drawings are issued."

However, Worcester City Council planning chairman Robert Rowden stressed planners were bound by stringent guidelines.

He said: "In a perfect world everything would be beautiful.

"However, we have to live in the real world and we have to consider whether or not an application is acceptable and if a precedent has been set.

"Also, if an applicant's proposal is rejected, they can go to an appeal, which can be very costly to the taxpayer. We have a duty to safeguard the public purse."

Mr Rowden added that on occasion the planning committee had gone against officers advice for the benefit of the city.

He highlighted the case of the Alliance and Leicester building on the corner of St Nicholas Street and High Street which has undergone a revamp.

He said: "The officers recommend it should be turned down but we argued no ordinary shopkeeper would be able to do it up to such a high standard."

A clear-the-air meeting between architects and planners is set to take place on December 1.

Mr Rowden said Mr Greenway would be very welcome to come and stress his views.

Meanwhile, Mr Greenway has completed a project at Worcester Sixth Form College to create an outdoor area where students could gather and socialise.

Principal John Tredwell said: "We had all this space at the back and we wanted students to use it more.

"Richard is a very experienced designer and he took our ideas and recommended good solutions and materials for robust use. It's an excellent addition to the college facilities."

The £175,000 scheme has turned a dull area into a lively meeting place, with a circular forum, curved seating areas, steps, ramps and a gazebo, incorporating various recycled materials.

"We wanted to put in some design flair within the constraints of the budget and create a sense of place, so that it develops its own identity," said Mr Greenway.

The stainless steel gazebo, commissioned from Herefordshire craftsman James Stark, makes use of reclaimed steel from a former shelter at Tesco's Lyppard Grange site. Its illuminated columns end in pinnacles punched with leaf-shaped holes, through which the light is reflected from mirror-polished steel.

Paving stones left over from a previous college building project have been used in the scheme, together with reclaimed bricks and hardcore.

"It's part of our ethos to use reclaimed and recycled materials," he said.

"At County Hall we used plastic made from recycled bin bags to raise the flower beds and increase the planting depth. It's recycling in a creative way."