A new housing development in Sandymoor has been recognised at the Housing Design Awards, housebuilder Keepmoat announced in October. The Meadow Brook scheme was shaped through a collaborative design approach led by Keepmoat alongside DK-Architects and landscape architects Planit.
The scheme, currently being delivered on Homes England land, was recognised for its approach to integrating new homes with the area’s existing landscape. According to the release, the four organisations worked together from the early stages of the project to shape the scheme around its natural setting.
01A brief built around Building for a Healthy Life
The brief from Homes England, the government’s housing and regeneration agency, was to work with a developer partner which would deliver a scheme meeting the highest principles of Building for a Healthy Life. Working closely through the design evolution process, the team challenged the Homes England competition brief. The release says this facilitated innovation across every aspect of the scheme and a reduction of the development footprint in order to respond to the established landscape patterns.
The proposal subsequently achieved one of the highest recorded scores for a Building for a Healthy Life assessment, and the Housing Design Awards result provides further recognition of the collaborative approach behind Meadow Brook. Readers following design recognition in the sector may also be interested in how the Inspire Future Generations Awards launched with a new heritage category.
02Homes looking out onto green space
Katie Dean, Land & Partnership Director at Keepmoat, North West, said: “Meadow Brook is a great example of what can be achieved when you work with some of the best creative people in the business.”
She added: “Together with DK-Architects and Planit, we were able to challenge the original approach and develop a neighbourhood that responds to the character of the site, protects its existing landscape and gives people a genuine connection to nature, with nearly every home looking out onto green space.”
“We’re incredibly proud and humbled to see the development recognised by the Housing Design Awards and grateful to our partners for the role they have played in bringing it to life,” said Katie Dean.
The £44.5 million Meadow Brook development will deliver 199 new homes in Sandymoor. At the time of the release, the company said the first residents were expected to move in in the Autumn.
03Architect’s view
David Dickerson, Director of DK-Architects, also credited Halton Council for engaging positively with the project. He said: “The award also highlights the openness of Katie and her team at Keepmoat to embrace design and to push the boundaries of what is possible.”
He continued: “We are really proud of our involvement in helping to craft and shape this amazing development, and look forward to seeing what will be an exceptional neighbourhood emerge in such a picturesque rural edge location.”
Keepmoat describes itself as a top 10 UK homebuilder and partnership homebuilder. It says more than 80 percent of its current developments are on brownfield land, and that almost 70 percent of the homes it builds help people take their step on the property ladder. For background on how sites such as this come forward, see our practical guide to land promotion and planning gain.
Details and image via Keepmoat.
