Latest Commission – Fiveways Farm 450 new homes near Colchester

We are delighted to have been commissioned by Mersea Homes www.merseahomes.co.uk and Hills (Residential) www.hillsgroup.co.uk

to produce a Vision Statement and Masterplan for 450 new homes at Fiveways Fruit Farm in Stanway near Colchester.

The masterplanning includes a complex series of construction phases which needed to be understood and woven into the design of the masterplan. The site straddles the edge of existing residential development and the open, gently undulating countryside within which can be found several small hamlets and historic villages.

These hamlets and villages provided us with several design references. We studied a number of them to find their unique characteristics. These characteristics included architecture, townscape, materials, details and landscape. Many of them were arranged around village greens. These greens became the inspiration for our concept masterplan .

We strongly believe that a new residential development should be firmly rooted in its neighbourhood and should contribute to the existing character of the place. This can only be achieved through a thoughtful and sensitive design based on detailed analysis and observation of the local context. Once this contextual framework is in place, the masterplan design can follow and will be appropriate for its location.

Other important frameworks, include movement, density, landscape, storey heights, heritage and urban grain. Once these are established and working together the detail can follow. We see these frameworks as the ‘skeleton’ of the masterplan, which must be able to support the detailed design of the individual phases.

We are looking forward to working on this exciting project with planning consultants Phase 2 Planning and Development  www.phase2planning.co.uk