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Placemaking Opportunities

The new neighbourhood will have a strong identity, reflecting the qualities of the local townscape and landscape character to become an integral part of the village.

A High-Quality Place

The neighbourhood will include a wide mix of homes designed to be energy efficient and adaptable to the changing needs of people. Houses will reflect the local character and be built using local materials.

Well Designed Homes

A Healthy Living Neighbourhood

The neighbourhood will include a network of multifunctional public open spaces, strongly landscaped streets, interconnecting green and blue spaces, and walking and cycling opportunities for healthy living. Open spaces will provide opportunities for recreation and biodiversity enhancement, linking into the existing movement and landscape network to integrate the new community with the rest of the village.

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A Landscape Led Setting

Permeable Network of Routes

Context Responsive

  • Existing natural features like trees, hedges and ditches will be retained and integrated within the network of public open spaces

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  • A new Sustainable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) to prevent recreational impacts on Thames Basin Heath SPA

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  • Existing historic field boundaries would act as green links and provide attractive tree lined routes

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  • The development will include a network of multifunctional open spaces accessible to new and existing residents including SuDS which will provide opportunities for the creation of new habitats

  • Vehicular access is proposed from Swallowfield and Reading Road for the northern parcel, and from Swallowfield Road for the southern parcel

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  • The development will provide a network of well-connected routes that will link into adjacent Public Right Of Ways (PROWs) and paths, including the new pedestrian and cycle path along Observer Way A327 bypass

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  • A leisure pedestrian and cycle route will be created along the new Sustainable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) connecting into the wider network of routes

  • The development will positively respond to the natural and townscape context of the site and local area

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  • A new orchard and southern park will safeguard the green gap between Arborfield and Arborfield Cross and include buffer planting along the site’s south-eastern edges

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  • Lower density development will be located on the most sensitive areas, with open spaces and buffer planting created to screen development and positively respond to views and the setting of the Area of Special Character and Arborfield Court

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