Page 90 - Eden Meadow 35 houses application as of 12 October

PART B- ADDENDUM

CONCLUSION

Buildings For Life Design Team’s Comments Score
Criteria Given:

1. Connections The proposals include a single road connection to the site from the north, however, footpath access is provided through Eden Meadow from the proposed site providing
a good link to the A2. From here there is a bus stop circa 400m to the west and a traffic island is provided just outside the access point to Eden Meadow to allow for easy The amended proposals have been worked up in response to
crossing of the main road. Within the site footpaths are provided into the centre of the development alongside the road until they meet the central green space where they the prevailing commentary following the statutory consultation
Integrating into the Neighbourhood
become detached from the carriageway to create a more informal setting. Access is provided around the western, southern, eastern and north-eastern boundaries by small
roads with a country lane character. An informal footpath adjacent to plots 30 and 31 completes the footpath connection creating a perimeter block. process. This has resulted in a fundamental change in approach
to the scheme and the new layout reflects this.
2. Facilities and The scheme provides an open green spaces at it’s heart for the enjoyment of local residents. Further it is proposed that a play trail for toddlers is incorporated along the
central footpath within this space (with the opportunity to include a bench). Further with the introduction of large green buffers to the edges of the site, these will act as an
services
amenity space for the properties and will be maintained by a management company. Services within Newington are within an 800m/10 minute walking distance of the site
and as noted above can be accessed by a direct footpath through the Eden Meadow development and along the A2. Rather than proposing to connect to surrounding areas of
land the new proposals reflect the scheme as a small ‘cluster’

3. Public Transport The site is located in close proximity to the railway station meaning that car dependency is reduced. Further, as noted above, a footpath link its provided through the devel- of development on the edge of Newington, similar to many
opment, through Eden Meadows to the north. At this point on the A2 there is a traffic island which aids the crossing of this road for pedestrians and cyclists which can be
used to get to the train station. Bus stops on the A2 are also within an 800m/1ominute walk of the site. existing rural developments in the local area.

As a result of these changes units have been altered to
4. Local Housing The housing mix has been worked up in conjunction with Swale Borough Council and provides a wide range of accommodation from 1 bed units all the way through to 5 bed
houses. These are in various forms including, apartments, terraces, semi-detached, link-detached and detached units. Further the scheme delivers 40% affordable housing front the north-eastern, eastern and southern boundaries
Requirements which is provided in a range of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bed units.
with generous landscape buffers introduced to these edges.

Informal private drives give the character of rural lanes with

connectivity around the eastern edge created by an informal
The architectural approach to the unit design is based on studies of the local context in terms of materiality and form. Local studies of existing rural development have also
5. Character
informed the layout so that both layout and architectural form have a rural character in keeping with the site area as identified by SBC. The references to the local vernacular footpath linking from the north east down to the south in a
and high quality material palette create a visually rich scheme. The Landscape Strategy has been reviewed and amended so that the proposed planting reinforces the local
character and in keeping with the rural character of the development. rural perimeter block.

6. Context The response to the site and to it’s location on the edge of Newington is based on a study of local existing rural developments which are clusters set within open space. The The proposals reflect the Heritage comments, pulling the build
revised layout responds positively to the edge by both fronting onto them and by pulling back from them to ensure that generous planting buffers can be introduced which
Creating Place 7. Well defined streets nectivity through the site and to the eastern boundary whilst buildings are placed in an informal manner to soften the edge (excepting the north-west corner where the more form almost 100m from the listed Ellen’s Place buildings and
will soften these edges and make them more rural in character through the careful selection of appropriate species. A perimeter block is created allowing pedestrian con-

formal ‘farm courtyard’ responds to the commercial buildings to the north). Several of the units have been designed with open kitchen/dining and living spaces that stretch
introducing a large planted buffer of 9.5m. The development
from the front to the back of the house or from side to side allowing light to penetrate throughout the day.
therefore significantly softens in this area, whilst the form of
There is a clear hierarchy to the scheme with the main access road starting as a wider street and gradually reduces in width as it serves fewer and fewer dwellings. Country
lanes (private drives) lead off this central route serving 5 or less houses and maintaining a narrow road with (3.7m) to reduce the amount of hard standing and keep a rural
and spaces
character. To create a perimeter block to the east the houses turn on their plots to front onto the edges and an informal footpath allows a connection between the north- development also allows for large gaps between buildings again
eastern country lane and the south-eastern country lane. The north-western lane leads to a ‘farm courtyard’ cluster in a more formal arrangement where the dominant reducing any visual impact.
material is black weatherboarding that is a well defined space and destination in itself. House along the south-western lane twist on their plots to front the southern
boundary of the site. Pulled back from the road edge across green space the houses in the central area address the well defined central landscaped area.

8. Legibility There is clear road hierarchy that aids legibility and a perimeter block has been created by fronting units to the northeaster, eastern and southern boundaries with an informal Key elements of the scheme which were supported (the central
foot link creating connection around the whole of the eastern boundary. Materials are mostly clustered in groups of three which aid visual legibility and the ‘farm courtyard’
has a clearly distinctive character both with the more formal layout of the buildings and the use of black weatherboarding. Units facing north east have a recessive stock brick green focal space, witch hazel planting, road hierarchy etc.) are
and clay tile roof material palette so as to minimise visual impact on views from the Grade II listed Ellen’s Place. A further village study has illustrated that many existing rural retained from the previous scheme.
developments around Newington are in effect cul-de-sacs (not leading to further development).

The scheme has reduced by 5No. units to 35 dwellings and
Units have been carefully designed to incorporate windows within flank walls to ensure passive surveillance of roads and green spaces. The units have been designed in
9. Streets for all
a traditional character but have a good amount of glazing with the majority of openings having two or three lights and each opening being of good proportion. Further provides 40% affordable (14 units) in line with current guidance.
many habitable rooms within the house types have windows on two elevations providing dual aspect (where possible). Design of access panels for services will be carefully
considered as part of the Building Regulation drawings to prevent them from becoming an eyesore. Landscape proposals have been amended to create a more rural The scheme creates a wide range of house sizes (1, 2, 3, 4
character with thought given to boundary treatments and materials within the streetscape to reinforce this aesthetic.
and 5 bed) and types (apartments, terraced, semi-detached,
A varied approach to parking provision is proposed including; 1) On Plot- Independently accessible spaces, 2) On Plot - Tandem parking, 3) On Plot - Car port parking, 4) On
10. Car Parking
Street and Home parking hidden within the farm courtyard, either to the rear of buildings or within car ports/between buildings leaving the streetscene car free. On street parking will help to The proposals positively address the matters raised during
detached) and adopts different car parking strategies.
Plot - Garage parking, 5) Courtyard parking to rear of properties, 6) On Street - parking in parallel along streets. This varied approach to parking reinforces place making with
keep traffic speeds lower within the development. Having two independently accessible spaces on plot creates larger gaps between buildings helping to visually reduce the
two storey continuous built form and this is employed in the northeast corner. Elsewhere a mixture of tandem parking in car ports or garages are proposed making a more
the consultation process and show the applicants desire to
efficient layout for development.
work with Swale Borough Council to deliver a truly outstanding

11. Clarity of public/
are in keeping both with the character of the Landscape Character Area and the rural character of the scheme itself. This includes careful consideration of the boundary
private spaces Amended landscape proposals are included within the resubmitted information which seek to illustate that the internal planting, surface materials and boundary treatments scheme with the same high quality delivered by the original
buffer planting and to the internal streetscape and spaces. Eden Meadow development.

12. Storage All units are provided with built in storage internally and further rooms are of good sizes that will allow placement of furniture which will provide further internal storage.
Externally all units excepting the apartments have good sized gardens where outside storage such as sheds could be accommodated. Garages are likewise oversized to allow
fo the storage of bicycles and cars at the same time. Where required bin and bicycle stores are also provided for apartments and designed to integrate with the streetscene
and buildings.

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