Welcome to our public exhibition This public exhibition gives you the opportunity to view and comment upon our emerging plans for a new residential development at Oaklands College in St Albans. Our proposals form an integral part of a wider scheme for the much-needed redevelopment of the College s St Albans campus. The proposed site is considered by the College to be suitable for development for the following reasons: It does not encroach on the educational use of the site It does not occupy any land currently used for sports provision It does not require shared access with the College campus It offers the potential to provide more direct pedestrian access to Sandpit Lane for students who currently have to make their way around the perimeter of the site Taylor Wimpey and Oaklands College a proven partnership Why is residential development needed? Some of the buildings at Oaklands College s St Albans campus urgently require updating and modernising, and lack of future government funding could impair the College s ability to support the local community. Investment is needed to allow Oaklands to continue to deliver an evolving curriculum and associated provision prioritised in relation to social and economic regional need. As a large employer in the community, investment would make the College more sustainable. Why has this site been chosen? The site which we are proposing for residential development is located to the north-west of the College s St Albans campus, south of Sandpit Lane and east of Verulam School playing fields, adjoining the existing built-up area of St Albans. The site is not considered to be high-grade agricultural land. Taylor Wimpey and Oaklands College have a successful track record of productive partnership working, the two organisations having teamed up to deliver the following high-quality residential developments on former Oaklands College sites: Oaktrees Elstree Way, Borehamwood Highfields Highfield Lane, St Albans
About our proposals An initial indication of the vision for our proposals is shown in the concept plan below. This has been informed by initial assessments relating to Landscape and Visual Impact and Transport. Our plans are at a very early stage to allow us to incorporate your feedback, which will help us to progress the designs for this scheme. Further detailed proposals will then be available at a second consultation event in the spring. Key facts Our proposed development currently includes the following key elements: Up to 350 sustainable new homes Existing wooded areas preserved A full mix of property sizes and styles Existing boundary hedges retained and reinforced Up to 35% affordable housing Infrastructure improvements Public open space and new landscaping
Community benefits In addition to the many benefits the proposed development will bring to the College the proposals will also provide a number of further benefits to the wider community. College redevelopment The proposed residential scheme will enable Oaklands College to progress with the much needed redevelopment of its St Albans campus. This will enable the College to continue to deliver an evolving curriculum and associated provision prioritised in relation to social and economic regional need, helping local young people to reach their full potential and making the College more sustainable as a large employer in the local area. Housing We will be providing a mix of much-needed housing and, as required by the local authority Strategic Housing Market Assessment, we are proposing a mix of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes. Affordable housing In accordance with St Albans City & District Council policy, our proposals will include up to 35% affordable housing. This may include a mixture of tenures such as social rent, affordable rent, low-cost homes, shared ownership and shared equity, which will be delivered in association with a local Housing Association. Landscaping and open space Areas of public open space are proposed for the northern edge and in the centre of the development site, providing informal recreation opportunities for residents. Combined with the retained and reinforced boundary hedgerows and protected existing wood areas, these open spaces will also provide a green landscape buffer between the development and neighbouring areas. Footpaths New footpaths will be created throughout the development site, linking in with existing pedestrian links and helping to improve pedestrian connectivity between Sandpit Lane and the Oaklands College campus. Section 106 contributions Should our proposals be approved by St Albans City & District Council, Taylor Wimpey will make significant financial contributions towards improving existing community facilities, with details to be agreed following negotiations with the Local Authority. Employment and apprenticeships It is estimated that for every new home built in the UK, 1.5 full-time jobs are created as well as potentially twice that number in the supply chain. The new development will therefore provide a range of employment opportunities in the area as we strive to recruit the majority of our site employees and contractors from the local community. We also seek to offer apprenticeship opportunities to local people wherever possible. Infrastructure improvements Should our proposals be approved, we will provide infrastructure improvements in the local area for the benefit of the whole community. These improvements will be made as required by local authorities and agreed as part of the planning process. Sustainable homes All the new homes within our proposed scheme will be constructed to the latest building standards for energy efficiency, ensuring the development provides the best possible solution in terms of sustainability. Community benefits overview Our A mix proposed of 1 to 5 development bedroom homes currently includes Strong the pedestrian following key links elements: Up to 35% affordable housing A range of employment opportunities Areas of public open recreation space Infrastructure improvements
Information about our company, who we are and what we do Taylor Wimpey was formed by the merger of George Wimpey and Taylor Woodrow in 2007. We are able to draw upon experience and best practice gathered over a history dating back to the 19th century. Today we are one of the largest homebuilders in the UK, completing around 10,000 homes each year. Planning sustainable communities We want our developments to be environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. We understand the importance of stimulating strong, vibrant and healthy communities while protecting and improving the natural, built and historic environment. More than building homes Engaging with local people We build roads and junctions, sewers and utilities that link our developments with the surrounding areas. Where needed we provide community facilities such as schools, doctor s surgeries, shops and offices, bus stops and even railway stations, as well as much needed affordable homes. Such provision can help meet the day-to-day needs of the people living on, or near, our developments. We are committed to working with local people, community groups and local authorities during the planning phase and aim to keep them up to date with our activities and progress during construction. We aim to plan and design developments that balance the demands of our business with providing for the needs of our residents and their communities. Green spaces We design landscaping and open space to provide an attractive and safe setting for homes, recreational space for residents, and habitats for plants and wildlife. Green spaces could include tree or hedgerow planting, playgrounds or sports pitches. Energy-efficient homes We reduce the energy demand and carbon footprint of heating our homes by improving wall and roof insulation, before fitting complex technologies. This means that residents benefit from consistent energy bill savings while their long term maintenance burden and costs are kept to a minimum. Our aim is to be the nation s leading residential developer for creating value and delivering quality. We are passionate about working with local people, businesses, local authorities and our customers to build aspirational homes. For more information, visit: about.taylorwimpey.co.uk Taylor Wimpey lays the foundations for thriving communities We completed 10,180 homes in 2011, of which 2,048 (about 20%) were affordable homes. In 2011, through planning agreements, we spent 130.1m in the areas in which we built. We provide public transport, road improvements and education facilities on many developments. Landscaping and open space, including play areas and sports pitches, provide the structure to many of our developments.
What we would like from you, and what you can expect from us Once you have had an opportunity to look at our proposals, please feel free to fill in one of the feedback forms provided. We will review all comments received and respond to feedback wherever possible as we continue to develop our proposals. A further public consultation event will be held in the spring, and we will then look to submit a detailed planning application for the development later in the year. Please leave completed feedback forms with a member of the project team today, or post to the following address: Communications Officer, Oaklands College, St Albans Campus, Hatfield Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 0JA or visit: www.oaklands.ac.uk/redevelopment Thank you for attending today, your views make a real difference What is Taylor Wimpey North Thames already doing in your area? Taylor Wimpey North Thames is currently building high-quality houses and apartments at the following developments across the region: Carrington Grange Tewin, Hertfordshire Leaside Rise Ware, Hertfordshire Leggatts Green Watford, Hertfordshire Mirage Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire The Venue II Muswell Hill, London