Agar Grove Estate
Agar Grove Estate
Gilston Park Estate Masterplan
A masterplan for a new biodiverse and sustainable residential development, creating around 8,500 homes in North Harlow, East Hertfordshire.
Key information
Value
Undisclosed
Location
Hertfordshire
Sector
Services
Challenge
This masterplan for the Gilston and north Harlow, on the borders of Essex and Hertfordshire, is part of the East of England Plan to improve housing, transport and economic growth. Just shy of 2,500 acres, the site will comprise seven independent, interconnected villages set into heathland, and surrounded by forested areas, creating 8,500 new homes.
Just one third of the available site will be developed, with the remaining areas preserved for parks, public gardens and existing natural environments.
Each village will be an independent rural community with schools, shops and amenities at its centre, fostering a strong sense of community and character, and creating vibrant and diverse neighbourhoods. A range of housing types will support broad and diverse communities of all ages, while retaining the identity of a typical English village. Quality of life for residents will be significantly enhanced through the landscape led design and integration of substantial green infrastructure, alongside the aim to minimise car dependency by enabling 60% of resident journeys to be conveniently taken by bicycle or on foot.
Our project team
Total of 4 people
Sustainability and environmental efficiency
As part of the outline planning application, we've been appointed to develop the sustainability and energy strategy for the strategic landscape masterplan, and the village 1, 5 and 6 masterplans.
Our sustainability approach proposes an all-electric, zero fossil fuel development, with all new buildings and infrastructure making use of the decarbonisation of the national grid. The aim is to minimise embodied carbon through early design decisions regarding the topography of the site and building typologies, and sustainable urban drainage systems will manage water run-off and complement the wider landscape design and active travel routes.
Related projects
Total of 3 projects
