The Walled Garden
The Walled Garden - Proposed Layout
During the pre-application process, planning officers raised two main concerns about development within the Walled Garden: the potential impact on the historic wall itself and the effect that new buildings could have on the garden’s historic character and setting.
The Walled Garden was originally designed as a formal garden, and officers therefore suggested that alternative locations for the proposed homes should be explored. They also considered that any harm to its heritage significance would be at the lower end of what is considered “less than substantial” harm.
Following these discussions, the design team carefully reviewed the proposals across the estate, including areas where officers considered development to be unsuitable.
Having considered this advice alongside the opportunities presented by the Walled Garden, the revised proposals now include four smaller repositioned homes, rather than the three originally proposed.
This change reflects the evolving masterplan and the view that a carefully designed scheme can be successfully integrated within the Walled Garden while respecting its historic character. Importantly, this has been achieved alongside a significant reduction in the number of homes proposed around the Village Green, demonstrating the overall balance being sought across the estate.
The Walled Garden - Landscape Concept
Key design goals include:
Enclosure and Privacy:
To create a peaceful sanctuary protected from external noise, wind and visual intrusion.
Aesthetic Harmony:
To integrate hard and soft landscaping elements, such as the existing wall, pathways, trellises and planting beds, into a cohesive and visually balanced composition accessible by residents.
Seasonal Interest:
To design planting schemes that provide colour, texture and form throughout the year.
Functionality and Flow:
To incorporate practical spaces such as seating areas, kitchen gardens and water features, while maintaining clear circulation and visual continuity.
A central island will provide an accessible space with benches for relaxation and communal gardening, featuring edible plants arranged in a formal style, including herbs and heritage fruit tree varieties.
Herb Species:
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Mint
- Chives
- Bay Laurel
Perennials:
- Cottage garden species
Fruit Trees:
- Apple ‘Discovery’
- Pear ‘Conference’
- Cherry ‘Morello’
- Plum ‘Victoria’
The existing wall will be softened with climbing roses and Clematis, including espalier trees arranged within more formal perennial borders. These will incorporate a mix of flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables to create an informal planting style, aiming to achieve a colourful and slightly wild character.
Planting Species:
- Old English roses
- Phlox
- Lupin
- Peony
- Foxgloves
Hedge Species:
- Carpinus
- Fagus
- Crataegus
Property Boundaries:
Post and wire/rail fencing will be softened with native, pruned hedges to the rear and front boundaries.
Hard Landscape Materials:
Paving and surface materials will be selected to be robust and suitable for the context of the Walled Garden. The communal garden area will incorporate bound surfacing that is appropriate for accessibility and ease of maintenance, while the domestic curtilages of the dwellings will feature hard-surfaced paving to complement the architecture of the properties.
The Walled Garden -Visual
Our design addresses officer comments by preserving the legibility of the walled form:
the angled form of each dwelling reinforces the plan form of the garden walls.
The understated, contemporary aesthetic places greater emphasis on the setting. The dwellings feature natural timber bays and shingles and are relatively transparent, preserving the sense of depth and space within the garden.
Areas of the site will be brought back into use as gardens, with private gardens for each house arranged around a communal landscaped amenity space at the heart of the garden.
Four 3/4-bedroom houses would be provided.
