1 Welcome The developers of the Warren Farm site, Bloor Homes and Connolly Homes, are holding this exhibition on the emerging Design Codes for the development prior to their formal submission to Central Bedfordshire Council early in 2016. The developers would like to hear what you think before finalising and submitting the Design Codes and detailed design of the scheme. The exhibition is attended by a number of representatives from the development team. Please feel free to ask any questions that you may have. Our Team DEVELOPERS: Bloor Homes and Connolly Homes ARCHITECTS: Thrive Architects and Alan Patterson Design PLANNING CONSULTANTS: Woods Hardwick TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS: Woods Hardwick LOCAL AUTHORITY: Central Bedfordshire Council TOWN CENTRE GLEBE ROAD OLIVER STREET OAKTREE ROAD TAVISTOCK AVENUE GRANGE ROAD FALLOWFIELD ARAGON ROAD FALLOWFIELD ABBEY LANE Connolly Homes Development Land LAMMAS WAY Bloor Homes Development Land FLITWICK ROAD Recycling Centre FLITWICK Redbourne Upper School & Community College SITE LOCATION Background The Warren Farm site is located on the southern edge of Ampthill, between Flitwick Road and Abbey Lane, adjacent to Redborne Upper School. It is allocated for residential development in Central Bedfordshire Council s Site Allocations Development Plan Document (adopted in April 2011) with a Development Brief approved in 2012 setting out guidance for the future development of the site. A planning permission for up to 410 s, together with open space, accesses and surface water retention basin (Central Bedfordshire Council application reference CB/12/01496/OUT) was granted on 30 October 2013. The principle of the site being developed for housing is now well established, along with key parameters, such as the means of access and the maximum number of s (410). What is a Design Code? The preparation of Design Codes is a key part of the detailed design process in sites of this scale and in this case is a requirement of one of the conditions on the outline planning permission. A Design Code is a document produced to ensure design related objectives agreed at the outline planning stage are encompassed in the detailed scheme. They define and establish key design principles, such as the approach to street hierarchy, character areas within the development, landscaping, parking, materials, block principles, including ranges for plot widths and depths, building lines, frontage and set backs, building densities and architectural detailing.
2 Planning Process & Community Involvement Following the grant of outline planning permission for the development of up to 410 s at the site the developers are now preparing Design Codes to guide the detailed design of the scheme. The Design Codes will be finalised following this consultation before being formally submitted to Central Bedfordshire Council. Following on from the formal submission of the Design Codes, applications will be made for matters of detail not considered at the outline planning application stage. These are those of the layout, appearance and scale of the s and the associated landscaping, known as reserved matters. The various stages in the planning process for Warren Farm are set out and the approximate timescales outlined in the diagram below. TIMESCALE DIAGRAM Grant of Outline Planning Application Production of Design Codes Submission of Reserved Matters Submissions Grant of Reserved Matters Submissions Construction Work Commence - First Houses Completed 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Statutory Process led by Central Bedfordshire Council Process led by Developers A number of design parameters have been approved by Central Bedfordshire Council at the outline planning stage. These parameters underpin the Design Codes presented to you today. The approved design parameters are illustrated below. APPROVED LAND USE PLAN APPROVED ACCESS & MOVEMENT APPROVED JUNCTION PLAN Engagement & Consultation Considerable engagement with the local community was undertaken prior to the submission of the outline planning application for the site. This included Stakeholder Group meetings attended by Ampthill Ward Councillors and a number of local interest groups and a public exhibition. The developers of the site are seeking to continue with this spirit of engagement and have held 2 recent meetings with the Stakeholder Group to discuss the stage the development of the site has reached and the next steps, including the emerging Design Codes.
3 Warren Farm, Ampthill Local Character Study There are many good examples of buildings and streets in Ampthill from which key elements can be drawn upon to inform the new proposals. 6 Ampthill is largely defined by Georgian and Victorian architecture, but significant growth throughout the 20th century has seen the town expand, particularly to the south and east where Warren Farm is located. 2 4 Despite the site s proximity to more recent developments, it is important to understand the qualities of Ampthill as a whole. This enables the proposed development to consider these qualities, thus creating a sensitive and considered design. The following character areas have been identified as important design examples within Ampthill. Area Plan 1 Flitwick Road 2 Dunstable Street Area 3 Ashburnham Road 4 Station Road 5 Ampthill Heights 6 Town Centre Summary Wide Streets dominated by mature vegetation. Victorian, Edwardian, and some Inter-war buildings. Primarily red/orange and buff bricks. Detached & Semi-detached houses with large front s. Narrow main street dominated by building frontages. Georgian & early Victorian buildings. Primarily red & buff brick. Some painted brick and pale render. Predominantly terraced houses with very small or no front. Formal residential street dominated by building frontages. Predominantly Victorian/Edwardian houses. Some larger Inter-war houses. Primarily buff and red brick. Some red/orange brick. Generally wide fronted semi-detached houses with short front s. Wide Streets characterised by mature vegetation. Primarily traditional style inter-war houses. Primarily red/brown bricks. Some pale and grey render. Semi-detached and terraced houses with hipped roofs & front s. 21st century development with varied street pattern. Predominantly Georgian style housing with various other local styles. Red/orange, buff and painted brick. Pale render. Detached, semi-detached & terraced housing. Strong, continuous built frontages with varied heights and widths. Typically Georgian & Victorian housing. Red/orange brick and pale render. Primarily terraced housing. 5 3 1 The Site 1 Flitwick Road 2 Dunstable Street Area 3 Ashburnham Road 4 Station Road 5 Ampthill Heights 6 Town Centre Warren Farm Site Images
4 Warren Farm, Ampthill Design Proposals Connolly Homes The western part of the Warren Farm development will be developed by Connolly Homes. The vision and key features of the development are outlined below: A high quality residential development providing up to 137 homes including: A Design Code to deliver key principles. Emphasis on hierarchy of places with a variety of design sequences: Use of different road surface finishes and design, varied frontages and building scale supported by comprehensive landscaping. New link provided to Lammas Way to connect with the surrounding neighbourhood. Selective palette of materials with applied discipline: A mix of soft tone colour renders along with limited palette of bricks - straw, yellow & mud. Painted brickwork and weather boarding, with a controlled mix and application throughout the scheme. Variety of house types and tenure: Incorporating an allocation of 35% of s to be provided as affordable housing. Supervision and management of open spaces. BLOOR HOMES LAND ILLUSTRATIVE SITE PLAN
5 Design Proposals Connolly Homes ENTRANCE / FLITWICK ROAD Entrance frontage to Flitwick Road to respect local character. SECTION OF PROPOSED FLITWICK ROAD FRONTAGE Landscaped & Mounded Open Space fronting Flitwick Road with new planting and trees. Emphasis of gateway / arrival sequence. ELEVATION OF FLITWICK ROAD FRONTAGE AND ENTRANCE Flitwick Road Footpath Landscaped Open Space Shared surface lane 2-3m front Rear LINK ROAD / AVENUE Tree lined avenue between Flitwick Road & Abbey Lane. SECTION THROUGH LINK ROAD / AVENUE Link road will be able to accommodate public transport. Open space / landscape areas to create points of interest along travel route. Mix of house types, but predominantly detached villas formally fronting link road. Emphasis on arrival sequence and Central Green Hub transition with neighbouring Bloor Homes development. ELEVATION OF LINK ROAD / AVENUE UPPER AND LOWER GREENS Careful orientation of buildings to front and supervise open space, landscaped areas, pedestrian and cycle routes. Landscaped and mounded open space. Varied frontages, building scale and set back distances to promote variety and informality. Applied discipline of material palette to respect overall design principles. ELEVATION OF UPPER AND LOWER GREENS Rear Rear 8-10m gated front 2-4m front Footpath Grass verge Lane Link road Open space Tree lined verge Lane 5m front SECTION THROUGH UPPER AND LOWER GREENS 2-4m front Rear Rear
6 Warren Farm, Ampthill Design Proposals Bloor Homes The eastern part of the Warren Farm development will be developed by Bloor Homes. The vision and key features of the development are outlined below: A high quality residential development providing up to 273 homes including: A Design Code to deliver key principles. Existing brook to be maintained as a wildlife corridor. A comprehensive landscape strategy including retention of important trees and significant new tree planting. A series of open spaces and landscape areas. Two equipped play areas. ILLUSTRATIVE SITE PLAN A new junction arrangement on Abbey Lane, including a new junction to Osier Link, as approved by Central Bedfordshire Council. Variety of house types and tenure: Incorporating an allocation of 35% of s to be provided as affordable housing. Central Green Hub will form an important connection with the neighbouring Connolly Homes development.
7 Design Proposals Bloor Homes STREET ELEVATIONS ABBEY LANE, FRONTAGE Frontage to Abbey Lane designed as a gateway to the development Architecture to reflect Victorian style Formal hedge boundary to front s THE BROOK EDGE Red & buff brick houses, with timber detail and tile hanging to gables Private drive with detached villas to respect setting of the Brook GREEN SQUARE Georgian & Victorian style terraces and villas positioned to enclose the square Higher proportion of 2½ storey houses COURTYARD Cottage style s Parking within shared street TYPICAL SECTIONS GREEN SQUARE SHARED SURFACE STREET Shared surface street Parking within street 2m footpath 2m grass verge with street trees Roadway Public Open Space Private drive AVENUE SECTION THE BROOK CORRIDOR Private drive The Brook Wildlife Corridor Private drive 2m footpath 2m grass verge with street trees Roadway 2m footpath
8 Frequently Asked Questions WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONSULTATION? Both the developers and Central Bedfordshire Council are keen to hear the views of the local people. They would like to find out what people s views are before finalising and submitting the Design Codes and detailed design of the scheme. HOW MANY HOUSES ARE PROPOSED? A planning permission for up to 410 s, together with open space, accesses and surface water retention basin (Central Bedfordshire Council application reference CB/12/01496/OUT) was granted on 30 October 2013. WHAT ABOUT THE ROADS? The accesses into the site from both Flitwick Road and Abbey Lane were approved at the outline application stage with the route of the primary road between these new junctions also established (See Board 3). Details of the arrangement of secondary roads will come forward as part of reserved matters applications. WHAT ABOUT THE SCHOOLS? The Developers of Warren Farm, have entered into a S106 Planning Obligations Agreement with Central Bedfordshire Council. As part of this agreement monies will be allocated towards local schools. The administration and distribution of the monies received from the development will be overseen by Central Bedfordshire Council and their service providers WHAT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? The development is compliant with Central Bedfordshire Council s policy setting a target of 35% of houses to be what is known as affordable housing housing owned and managed by Housing Associations, and/or set at prices below market housing levels. WHEN WILL THE HOUSES BE BUILT? Detailed reserved matters applications will be submitted in 2016. Building work could start in 2016/2017, and then it may take up to 5 years to build all the houses on the site. WHAT ABOUT THE RECYCLING CENTRE AND FOOTBALL PITCHES? Both the tidy tip and football pitches will remain in their current location and are not included within the site area for the housing proposal. HOW CAN I FIND OUT FURTHER INFORMATION? A new Warren Farm website will be launched early in 2016 providing information about the site. Copies of the exhibition boards and the questionnaire can be viewed at bit.ly/warrenfarm For further information please contact planning@woodshardwick.com. Next Steps Please complete a questionnaire telling us what you think and return it by post to Warren Farm Design Code Consultation c/o Woods Hardwick Planning, 15-17 Goldington Road, Bedford, MK40 3NH or by e-mail to planning@woodshardwick.com by 4th January 2016. All responses will be reviewed before the Design Codes are finalised and submitted to Central Bedfordshire Council, which is likely to be early in 2016 (See the timescale diagram on Board 2).