A Sustainable Development
Publicly Accessible Open Space
62% of the site will be retained and enhanced as public open space. Our proposals to enhance the public open space include:
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A common in the centre of the site, open to all, will maintain the site’s openness and preserve important views.
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New attractive ponds and swales as part of our water management strategy
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Retention and enhancement of all existing trees and hedgerows
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Planting of new native species trees and hedgerows to enhance and provide screening along the site boundary
Water management and flood prevention
We have adopted a ‘SuDS management Train’ approach that includes introducing new gullies, drainage swales, attenuation ponds, detainment basins and permeable paving into the design. This approach will not only mitigate against flood risk, but will be carefully designed into landscape to create attractive new water features within the publicly accessible open space for residents to enjoy.
Retention of trees and hedgerows
We will deliver an 11% biodiversity net gain on site, with all existing trees and the majority of existing hedgerows to be preserved - alongside additional planting, greening, and landscaping to improve the overall quality of the site. This will form part of a ‘green’ perimeter accommodating existing and proposed new tree planting, a sustainable drainage network and new walking and cycling pathways.
Improving transport connections between Hurst and Twyford
We will be delivering a 2km cycle connection between Hurst and Twyford Railway Station, fulfilling Wokingham Council’s plans to connect the two.
Alongside this, we are funding a new half-hourly bus service between Hurst and Twyford, stopping at Twyford Station, town centre and Piggott CoE Primary School, and a new bus stop in Hurst. The new bus service will set down at a new bus stop located within the development.
Walking and cycling connections in Hurst
Our plans include a comprehensive, sustainable and active travel strategy that includes new walking and cycling pathways, including improvements to existing pathways in Hurst to provide safe connections across the village.
We also will provide an onsite Mobility Hub, which could include cycle parking, a bike repair station, a bus stop with Real Time Passenger Information, and a Car Club (including one capable of supporting an electric vehicle).
Residential Character
As part of our outline application, we have carefully reviewed the existing character of Hurst to ensure that our housing designs – and our application at large – reflects what Hurst residents want to see in their community.
We aim to create a series of character areas, incorporating design features from across the different styles of housing found in Hurst. For example, ‘The Avenue’ (first photo) is inspired by the brick and bay-windowed homes along Broadwater Lane. Similarly, ‘Green Lanes’ (second photo) is informed by the rural character of Hurst.
Broadwater Lane / Lodge Road Junction – Expanded footway/cycleway, with a cycle crossing installed
Broadwater Lane – Widened footpath, with a new pedestrian crossing
The central common
Precedent image of green space
At the centre of the site we propose to create a new publicly accessible common, open to the whole community – including inclusive new recreational facilities for all ages, and attractive ponds and swales.
The Common will maintain the site’s sense of openness, and preserve the views between Lodge Road and Tape Lane.
Proposed Improvements to Twyford Railway Station
Broadwater Lane 2 – Widened footpath, with a new pedestrian crossing
Lodge Road 1 – New cycleways, with a new pedestrian crossing
Lodge Road 2 – New Footway/Cycleway
Community orchard & extension to tape lane allotments
Precedent image of allotments
We propose to create a new community orchard to provide a naturalistic landscape at the site entrance that will help provide a connection to nature, health and wellbeing benefits for new and existing residents. The ‘A Design for Hurst’ Supplementary Planning Document emphasises the importance of the allotments, and we propose to extend the currently oversubscribed Tape Lane Allotments to provide new plots for local residents.