Planning for Growth in Wokingham at Arborfield

A Crest Nicholson presentation for the Arborfield Community Forum

Scott Black, Crest Nicholson, Group Director of New Business November 2013

Contents
1. Background and Context Why we embrace the principles of garden villages for Arborfield 2. Crest Nicholson - Who we are, what we do and what we stand for 3. Garden village principles - how we intend to apply them at Arborfield 4. Daventry how we have applied these principles elsewhere 5. Arborfield - contractual arrangements, the current state of play, what changes we seek to make 6. Conclusions

Ongoing Structural Under Supply

The estimated trajectory is in dark blue and shows that at a sustained rate of 5% growth p.a. across all sectors of the new homes market (a rate never previously sustained), the industry will struggle to get back to a rate of 150,000 homes p.a. By 2016/17 leading to a further shortfall over the period of 700,000 houses.

250000

200000

150000

Planned 2m
100000

Likely 1.3m
50000

700,000 shortfall likely!

But, planning at scale is slow We need more planning permission and we need to start
work on them now

Why Garden Villages?

But, planning has not always worked
The wrong types of homes on the land local people hold most dear With very little in the way of long term stewardship, community facilities or engagement with local people Planning has often become combative This is further exacerbated by lack of supply. New home purchasers often have no choice

What is the solution?

To design and to build communities that people want to live in, that local people can influence and have a stake in, and that have focus on high quality design and place making and which will thrive over time. We must also have a planning environment which allows us to achieve these aims (NPPF paragraph 52)
This will add value for Crest, our customers and the existing community!

2. Who we are, what we do and what we stand for why garden village principles fit well with Crest Nicholson.

Who we are
A robust operation driven by differentiated planning and design with a 50 year heritage of high quality, communities focused, development Leading developer of sustainable housing and mixed-use communities An approach focused around four core values: Crest delivers traditional and contemporary housing and has over 40 housing sites in production at any one time Over the last 20 years Crest has acquired a reputation for developing quality housing within well conceived master plans which create places where people want to live, work and play

1. Quality design an build 2. Diversity 3. Partnership and

collaboration

4. Sustainability
Experienced management team backed by experienced professionals

Development with a Clear Vision

With Place Making at their Heart

Developments Which Value Good Design

Over the last 20 years Crest has acquired a reputation for developing quality housing within well conceived master plans which create places where people want to live, work and play. This underpins a value added strategy which responds well to the aspirations of our purchasers.

Crests developments have more Building for Life Gold standard awards than any other UK developer

Which Respect the Local Vernacular

Crest delivers traditional and contemporary housing and has over 40 housing sites in production at any one time.

With the Right Attention to Detail

Which Create Great Living Environments

Which are Economically & Socially Sustainable

Park Central, Birmingham 350m, 10 Year Programme 1,600 dwellings 400,000 sqft mixed use 28m infrastructure

JV With Birmingham City Council

Which are environmentally sustainable

Which Seek to Deliver an Affordable Enduring Legacy

3. Garden Village principles and how we intend to apply them locally

Garden Villages The Principles

Links to the wider natural environment

Tier 1: The site context

Combines town and country living Access to local, cultural, recreational

and shopping facilities

Tier 2: A detailed but holistic approach to master planning

Integrates with but is also accessible to

transport systems

Tier 3: Building a community

Garden Villages The Principles

High quality imaginative design

Tier 1: The site context

Homes with gardens Generous green space A mix of public and private networks of

Tier 2: A detailed but holistic approach to master planning

well managed, high quality gardens, tree lined streets and open spaces
Places emphasis on walkable

neighbourhoods
Vibrant communities with homes for all

Tier 3: Building a community

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Garden Villages The Principles

Vision, leadership and community

engagement

Tier 1: The site context

Community ownership of the land Long term stewardship of assets Benefits for the community by capturing

land value

Tier 2: A detailed but holistic approach to master planning

A variety of a employment opportunities in

the Garden Village

Healthy living e.g. encouraging residents

Tier 3: Building a community

to grow their own food, travel sustainably and use the outdoor play and recreation areas

4. Monksmoor Farm, Daventry A case study example

An Opportunity in Northamptonshire
Drawing on our company ethos, our mission and our beliefs Realising the potential of the site Being innovative in our approach to development and buildings as well as creating lasting communities

In Proximity to Daventry Town Centre

Amenities
A historic market centre surrounded by housing and light industrial development Culture and recreational facilities Distinctive independent retailers and a bi-weekly street market Restaurants, Bars and Cafes Country Park and Reservoir Schools (3 primary schools within 1 miles and 3 secondary schools located within 6 miles of the site)

Transport links
Local Bus services (7 bus stops within 1000m) Long Buckby train station (5 miles) with services to Northampton, Milton Keynes, Rugby, Coventry, Birmingham Road networks M1 J15 (7 miles) and major towns of Coventry , Northampton, Birmingham and Milton Keynes all within 38 miles A balanced economy, wide skill base & a high street experiencing a void rate of less than 7%, it makes sense that businesses are looking to relocate here.

Monksmoor Farm, Daventry

Hierarchy of routes Network of public spaces Allotments and a community
orchard

Play areas Sports pitches An extension to the country

park

A Community building New school New health centre Sustainable Urban Drainage
Systems
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A Sustainable New Community is the style of a 21st Century Garden Village...

Huge Site Potential

Outline planning permission for 1000 homes, a local centre and a community building

Open Spaces and Landscaping = 54%

Developable Area = 46%

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Setting the standard from Phase 1

Gross area Net area Density

18 acres 13 acres 14 dwellings/acre

Affordable housing 20%

Generous green space Public realm Homes with gardens On plot parking Tree lined streets

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Distinct Character Areas

The Canal Area

The Village Park The Community Hub

Tier 3 how to build a community ?

Land Value Capture for the Benefit of the Community

Vision, Leadership and Community Engagement

Community Ownership of Land and Long Term Stewardship of Assets

THE CHALLENGE

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Analysis of the Community Benefit

A Chart to Show the Community Benefit as a Percentage of Gross Land Value

55%

S106 Contributions Community Infrastructure Affordable Housing

Community benefits: Education Public Art Landscaping Highways and Transport Travel plans, footpaths and cycle ways Management Company Community Building, Community facilities and open space (onsite)

Community Services for the local area

A Site Wide Management Strategy

The typical procedure is to transfer all open spaces and community facilities to:

The Local Authority A Residents Management Structure An Outside Organisation

Investigating new ideas:

Plan to Illustrate Management Responsibilities

A Community Interest Company A company for enterprises which are

not for profit

Limited by shares or guarantee Involves asset lock

How will this work at Daventry?

Combining the best of current thinking Scope for membership rights to evolve Ultimately it will allow for residents will be represented with professional support Providing a framework for the management of the open spaces and community facilities
which will remain when Crest exit
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Offering a variety of healthy lifestyle choices

A Garden City is surrounded by an open belt of country. This is an important factor. It makes for health, it limits the size of the town, it provides small holdings, allotments, playing fields, and walks for those who want them, and binds the people of the town into a unity.
Norman Macfadyen, Health and Garden Cities (2013),TCPA Series paper 14

Lifestyle opportunities Opportunities for residents to grow their own food A choice of travel Exercise and fitness Employment opportunities Apprentice scheme Retail Leisure Healthcare Education Community centre
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A Communication Strategy
Our current procedure

Consultation Events Encouragement of dialogue with local councils Newspapers, flyers, notice boards A consultation website
Social media in the property world is expected to grow by 40% in 2013

New platforms of communication:

Mobile Social Media - Twitter, Facebook A local blogger A residents hub website
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5. Working in Wokingham

Keephatch Farm, Wokingham

Up to 500 units 274 homes 236 Phase 2 Allocated in Core
Strategy as part of 1,500 home urban extension

Arborfield Contractual arrangements

Crest have recently been selected as the development partner for the DIO Crest Control 86% of the northern land via a development management agreement with the DIO Remaining 14% controlled by Wates (2 smaller land holdings) via separate legal agreements Together Crest and Wates make up the AGLC which is a consortium for the northern land established prior to Crests involvement Southern land MFT (Marino Family Trust)

Arborfield current state of play

Crest have recently joined AGLC representing the DIO as development manager A planning application was submitted during the DIO selection process Together Crest and Wates (the AGLC) have received comments from WBC to this planning application We have been in an on going dialogue with WBC officers and members, regarding these comments In response to these comments we have elected to withdraw the current application and resubmit a new one in the spring.

Arborfield - Opportunities
Opportunity of scale Plenty of land to incorporate good sized gardens, public realm and landscape getting the product and the density right Ongoing community engagement and the creation of a strong vision and leadership Network of open spaces and walkable neighbourhoods, place making and character areas etc Health and leisure opportunities Allotments, Sangs Vibrant heart best of town and country living, employment education etc Long term stewardship

Arborfield- proposed changes

Reduce density in order to achieve a more characterful / attractive development (particularly near the existing homes) Release additional net developable land Reconfigure district centre to face park land/ infirmary stables (village feel) Review highways solutions (TIA) and any other technical work as nessasary Review the schools configuration and the gateway to the north Revisit affordable housing provision

In Conclusion
1. 2. Urgent need for more housing. Garden villages: a. will deliver a product that people want IE family homes with proper gardens together with community facilities. b. have the quality and character to appeal to local communities - more acceptable through planning Crest already have values which align well with the Garden village principles. We wish to bring these values and principles to Wokingham where we can particularly at Arborfield. To succeed, new Garden villages will require partnerships between like minded public and private sector partners with strong leadership and vision.

3. 4.

5.

With a strong vision, leadership and partnership with local people we can build communities that existing and future residents will want and this in turn can assist in meeting the housing shortage through better planning

Thank you