Completed: Bourne End, Hertfordshire
Joint Venture between Ashill and the private landowner who ran a demolition business on part of the site with the remainder let out as storage, yard areas, and canal moorings. Despite the designation as Green Belt, there were large existing buildings on site, significant storage of materials and demolition spoil across this site, and frequent movements of large vehicles to and from site despite the narrow rural access roads.
As a result of a consultation campaign, support was forthcoming from the Local Authority and from local stakeholders for a sensitive redevelopment to replace the unneighbourly existing use and heavy traffic movements.
The scheme of 52 new homes not only provides much need housing to the area, but also provided an above policy quantum of affordable housing, new landscaped shared open spaces, plus the removal of large areas of Japanese Knotweed and removal of contaminated soils across the site. Technical challenges in terms of utility connections and drainage were overcome.
After detailed planning permission was received, demolition and remediation of the site was undertaken, and Bellway Homes were brought in the deliver the scheme.
