Taunton based chartered architects Reed Holland have been commissioned to breathe new life into the centre of their home town as part of a major regeneration scheme and this is the icing on the cake for the practice which is due to celebrate 30 years in business in 2011.

The firm’s widespread project portfolio over three decades includes residential development,  affordable housing, bespoke individual residential commissions, schools, retail schemes, sports facilities, the defence sector, industrial and commercial projects and now urban regeneration.

Founder John Reed said: “We adhere to our philosophy of ensuring we meet our clients’ aspirations and objectives with high quality, sustainable design no matter how large or small the project and we have been involved in some high profile and socially commendable schemes over many years.

“However, there is something extremely gratifying about being selected to redesign the High Street of the town where you live and work particularly as we were appointed after competition from other practices from London, Bristol and Exeter.”

The Project Taunton delivery team announced the appointment of the local architects to design the town’s tired and outdated 1970s High Street including its links to Vivary Park and other shopping streets and Jonathan Scanlan, the Reed Holland director who is leading the team on this project, has already begun widespread consultation with local businesses and the general public.

Having started with offices in Dunster Castle Gate House, in 1981, Reed Holland moved to Taunton in 1989, where the firm has practiced for the last 22 years, now employing eight staff including four chartered architects, at their offices in Somerset House, Middle Street.

Richard Holland, who formed the original partnership with John Reed and is one of the three current directors, said: “We have not been overly proactive in promoting our achievements but we have been involved in more than 1500 projects over 30 years in practice in Somerset.

“We have been responsible for designing many housing development schemes including Taunton’s Magdalene Street, Tancred Street and Compass Hill schemes, as well as affordable housing projects across Somerset and beyond.  We are very committed to sustainable design and build and want to be part of the process that evolves ever-improving eco-friendly building concepts.”

Notable recent work includes Cutcombe Market, the new livestock market at Wheddon Cross for Exmoor Livestock Auctions Ltd.  This is the first phase of a comprehensive redevelopment of the former market site which, unusually for a project in a national park, includes the provision of 25 new homes including 12 for local people.

Reed Holland also designed the recently completed £4 million Brynsworthy Recycling Centre near Barnstaple. The project involved the conversion and extension of a former Reed Holland designed meat processing plant and includes cost-effective features such as solar panels, rain-water harvesting, sun pipes, air source heat pumps, recycled aggregates and other low energy materials helping to make the building economically self-sufficient.

Richard Kennedy, the Francis Clark partner who has advised Reed Holland from its earliest days, said: “John, Richard and Jonathan lead a very special team whose work across so many areas has left a lasting, positive legacy.  We are delighted that they have been given the opportunity of doing the same to Taunton town centre. 

“Because they are Taunton based and because they are committed to providing design solutions of the highest quality, the firm will undoubtedly go that extra mile in their involvement in the future of the town.”

John Reed said: “We are architects before we are businessmen and we have deeply appreciated Richard’s support over so many years particularly the value of the one-to-one relationship that we have maintained and the accumulated mutual benefit and trust that this brings.

”The construction sector is the first to be affected by recession and is often the industry hit the hardest.  That we have survived two recessions during the last 30 year and are still attracting quality instructions is vey satisfying indeed.”