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Houses in Acresford Park, a greenfield site at the edge of Staffordshire

Urbanisation

Sustainability

Acresford Park, Handsacre

We provided multi-disciplinary services for this greenfield site on the edge of the Staffordshire village of Handsacre. Whilst on a framework of approved consultants, we assisted the masterplan and carried out detailed layouts and housetype designs for 200 dwellings.

Key details

Project name

Client

Walton Homes Limited

Location

Tuppenhurst Lane, Handsacre, Staffordshire

Services provided

- Architecture

- Civil Engineering

- Structural Engineering

- Landscape Architecture

Site plan of Acresford Park including the road network and housetype layout

Challenge

Delivering a site bounded by the proposed HS2 Phase 2 route presented various constraints during the design process. This involved designing the site layout to accommodate crane/articulated vehicle access and areas for temporary site accommodation to facilitate the West Coast Mainline upgrade.

During the progress of the Reserved Matters Applications, HS2 detailed a further compulsory purchase order which reduced the site area. Our team re-planned part of the site while limiting the number of plots lost.

Solution

We supported the production of a series of appraisal options on the affected area of the site to demonstrate to the client what could be achieved. Housetype variants were also created to assist with this process, which culminated in a successful re-plan, duly obtaining planning approval. We submitted the phased Reserved Matters Applications commencing 2019 and concluded with the final phase approval in 2021.

Noise mitigation measures were incorporated in the detailed scheme design stage to overcome the noise from the railway line. Noise attenuation bunds were required as part of the measures along the site boundary against the railway line, further supporting strategic landscaping. Careful positioning of the dwellings and their window positions helped achieve the required sound reduction.

We delivered the civil engineering design for highways, and site access, which included retaining works along the Canalside section, levels, drainage infrastructure and flood risk assessment. This included attenuation basins for enhancing the ecology between the development and the Canalside.

For the residential layout design, we responded to enhancements and retention of ecological features and the sensitive conservation area status of the Trent and Mersey Canal along the eastern site boundary. We undertook detailed discussions with the Conservation and Landscape Officers during the planning process to ensure the canal vernacular was respected and enhanced during the detailed design process.

We identified important pedestrian links during the production of the landscape principles and movement plan at the outline stage. This supported the finalised phased layouts and provided a primary school drop-off area and incorporated soft landscaping features next to the two-storey affordable apartment blocks.

Prioritising sustainable development

The housetypes were designed to comply with current Building Regulations at the time of the construction. Phases 1 and 2A were to Approved Document (AD) Part L 2021. Housetypes in later phases were since updated to incorporate amendments to the AD, including installation of Photovoltaic (PV) panels and increased levels of thermal insulation to reduce overall energy consumption.

We provided strategic landscape design for on-plot landscaping and public open space. This included a local equipment area for play (LEAP), attenuation basins, and green infrastructure, which involved landscape design for the inclusion of retained trees.

Sustainable drainage systems (SUDs) were a priority requirement across the whole site. Private drives and parking spaces which utilised pavers were selected for their permeability, reducing the amount of surface water runoff. We incorporated surface water attenuation ponds to take hard surface runoff from roofs and impermeable surfaces, discharging via flow control into the canal at an agreed rate with the Canal and Rivers Trust.