Self-Build Housing Prospectus

Mickle Well ParkDaventry

July 2014

1. Introduction 2

2. Purpose of this Prospectus 2

3. Self-build 3

4. Legal 3

5. Design Framework 4

6. Design Concept 4

7. Town Planning 5

8. Infrastructure & Services 5

9. The Plots 6

10. Massing & Composition 6

11. Parking Provision 7

12. Building Elements 7

13. Materials & Colour 8

14. Planning Consent of Detailed Design Proposals 8

Mickle Well ParkDaventry

July 2014Self-Build Housing Prospectus

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Self-Build Housing Prospectus Mickle Well Park, Daventry

1. Introduction

Landform Estates and Orbit Homes are promoting 38 ha (94 acres) of land at Mickle Well Park on the northern edge of Daventry for a development of around 450 new homes.

It is intended that Mickle Well Park will deliver approximately 36 self-build serviced plots across the site in three phases for sale to private individuals.

There is considerable market interest and demand for self-build housing in the UK. This is supported by the Government which has said that they wish to see the annual rate of housing delivered through self-build schemes double from around 8% to 16% of all new homes built.

In the April 2014 budget the Government said it would make a £150 million Custom Build Serviced Plot Fund available to help bring forward more land. This will support the forthcoming ‘Right to Build’ scheme that will give individuals the right to purchase land from councils for self-build projects. The fund will open for applications on 30 September 2014.

The lack of availability of consented land with infrastructure and services is, by a considerable margin, the single biggest constraint to delivery of self-build housing. Interest in – and support for – self-build is growing

Facilitating self-build can help promote community interaction and pride

2. Purpose of this Prospectus

This document is a preliminary guide to give individuals and Daventry District Council a clearer idea of the intended form and content of the self-build elements of the Mickle Well Park project.

It is intended to be used as supporting information at the Outline Planning Application stage. A more detailed and formal Design Framework will be agreed at the Reserved Matters stage when more design, technical and market information will be known.

Landform remains open and receptive to receiving ideas, from all quarters, as to how the self-build proposals might be best structured, offered to individuals, delivered and managed and welcomes all suggestions to this end.

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Self-Build Housing Prospectus Mickle Well Park, Daventry

3. Self-Build Housing

Self-build, or custom build as it is also known, can be defined as new build housing where someone directly organises the design and construction of their new home. However, there are numerous different forms of self-build housing; from the individual who wishes to physically build the home themselves, to community self-build projects, factory built homes delivered and erected onto a prepared site, through to people who will appoint their own architect and contractor to create their dream home.

There is no right or wrong answer as to which approach to take, each will have its merits. However, in looking at how best Mickle Well Park might offer plots of land we must have regard for safeguarding the amenity of the other residents at the site from poor design, unsuitable land use, and delayed construction works without stifling the innovation and individuality at the heart of the self-build motivation.

The self-build plots must be capable of being successfully delivered within the context of the overall masterplan, the site’s technical constraints and, most importantly, of adding diversity and quality to the development for the benefit of all.

Communities can create their own self-build projects

Consultants can be engaged to assist with the design and delivery of self-build housing

4. Legal Issues

Freehold self-build plots will be sold via a contract of sale incorporating the Law Society Standard Conditions of Sale. The sale contract will also comprise a Design Framework dealing with the details of the delivery conditions of the individual house designs.

Disposal of self-build plots will be conditional upon the provision of services and infrastructure, to an agreed standard and capacity, up to the boundary of the plot by the developer. On completion, title to the individual plots will be registered at Land Registry. The infrastructure and services supply will be supported by appropriate warranties from the building contractor responsible for the work with the intention being that they will be adopted by the local authority.

This means that individuals will be able to purchase a plot of land with confidence that all title, contract and technical issues will be in a form acceptable to lending institutions. This will allow mortgage finance to be available to purchasers (subject to their individual financial status) with which to undertake the construction of the homes.

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Self-Build Housing Prospectus Mickle Well Park, Daventry

Self build plots will be integrated with wider infrastructure

Freedom and flexibility in design will be accommodated

5. Design Framework

It is intended that Mickle Well Park will provide a wide range of housing, from starter homes through to executive homes. It is intended that serviced self-build plots will be available for purchase, with the buyers having the freedom to design and construct their own property.

The plots will be located throughout each phase of the site and will be available in different sizes to meet a range of budgets.

A detailed Design Framework will be agreed with Daventry District Council and the purchasers of each plot to ensure appropriate controls are in place to properly manage the design and construction process. This will include a requirement to complete the house construction within a set time of its commencement. It is recognised that this document will need to strike a balance between the need to create a cohesively designed development and allowing the freedom and flexibility expected when designing for the self-build customer.

6. Design Concept

The self-build plots will be fully integrated within the wider site infrastructure, including both vehicular, pedestrian and cycle networks. The plots will be accessed via adopted estate roads, with private driveways providing individual vehicular and pedestrian access to each dwelling. The consistency of design in infrastructure and boundary treatment for each plot will ensure an attractive and consistent street scene. The buildings themselves will then be set within the plot allowing full individual expression within the confines of the Design Framework.

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Self-Build Housing Prospectus Mickle Well Park, Daventry

Landscape and planting along the street-scene will be important in creating a coherent environment

Detailed design proposals will be submitted to Daventry District Council as Reserved Matters Applications

7. Planning

The overall planning application at Mickle Well Park will be in Outline format with all detailed matters reserved except for access and strategic landscaping. Should consent be granted then this will define the overall project land uses (including the self-build elements), indicative layout, phasing, public open space provision and boundary treatment.

Individual self-build house designs would then require detailed design approval through a Reserved Matters application. This will deal with the specific building design and associated technical matters and will need to be submitted to Daventry District Council for consideration in the normal manner for approval. In addition plot sales will need to be subject to a separate but comparable contractual approval process with the developer, thereby binding all parties in to the Design Framework.

8. Infrastructure & Services

The developer will provide road access to all self-build plots in accordance with the approved access component of the Outline application. Each plot will have a designated vehicular and pedestrian access point, with a prescribed minimum and maximum width.

Each plot will be provided with access, at the boundary of their plot, to foul and surface water drainage and connection to utilities that will include water, gas, electricity and telecommunications. These will all have sufficient capacity to fully service the completed dwelling. Connection points will be provided on both sides of the road to ensure suitable accessibility.

Public boundaries, i.e. those directly adjoining the adopted roads and footpaths, will have consistent design, materials and detailing, to be installed by the owner, which will be set out in the Design Framework. This boundary treatment will ensure that levels of visibility for vehicles accessing plots will not be impaired.

Landscaping will be required within the plot, adjacent to the public boundary to ensure a consistent and attractive street scene which may include hedging and fencing along with tree planting. The Design Framework will set out the design principles to be adhered to for these elements.

Recycling and waste management within each plot will need to be detailed in the Reserved Matters applications and will need to provide for refuse storage in line with the prevailing Daventry District Council recycling requirements.

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Self-Build Housing Prospectus Mickle Well Park, Daventry

Plot layout principles will be set to ensure a coherent development pattern and appropriate neighbouring conditions

Large glazed openings to living spaces can ensure attractive, outward facing developments

9. The Plots

Plots sizes will be generous enough to allow adequate freedom of layout but the spacing between dwellings and the plot boundaries will be controlled in order to provide a sufficient standoff space to protect the amenity of adjacent residents in terms of overlooking and dominance of nearby properties. All proposals should allow sufficient access for the proper maintenance of buildings and boundaries.

Suitable distances will be set between the front building elevation and front plot boundaries in order to ensure there is a logical and attractive street scene.

Side and rear plot boundaries will be set to ensure the protection of neighbour amenity levels so that there is adequate space to minimise overlooking and overshadowing issues. A stand-off is required to provide access to the rear of properties for functional purposes.

The imposition of these space standards will create a developable zone within the plot. In order to encourage as much architectural design freedom as possible, dwellings can be constructed to individual specifications within this developable zone. There can be scope for construction outside of this developable zone within a secondary zone at the front in the form of reduced width and height.

To the rear of plots, only single-storey development should be permitted in the secondary zone. Such an extension would reduce the size of the garden within the plot, although this provides plot owners with more flexibility in their designs and ultimately comes down to personal choice which we wish to see maintained where possible.

10. Massing & Composition

A maximum of 2.5 storeys will be permitted to minimise overlooking and to ensure that massing is appropriate to the site’s context. The height of dwellings should not adversely impact upon neighbouring developable zones. The permissible heights across the site will vary in relation to the topography and will be set in the Outline Consent through the parameters plans.

Corner plots will be important to the street scene and the wider development as they can ensure attractive, outward facing development.

All plots should be laid east-west to allow for maximum solar gain from south facing elevations and roofs. Elevation form should be informed by the site layout, surveillance of the street, and the function of the floor plan. Social inside/outside spaces should also relate well to each other without detrimentally impacting upon neighbour amenity levels.

Properties should relate well to their surroundings, including the properties in the immediate vicinity. Consideration should be given to the flow of the street scene when planning the scale and massing of dwellings.

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Self-Build Housing Prospectus Mickle Well Park, Daventry

Integrated parking solution may be considered

A variety of construction techniques may be employed across different plots

11. Parking Provision

All plots must conform to Daventry District Council Parking Standards, which set the maximum parking level for a dwelling.

An allocated space is one which serves an individual property. These can be in the form of a garage or area of hard-standing. A garage must have a minimum dimension of 6.0m x 3.0m to represent a single allocated space

The access driveway must be 3.0m wide (or 3.3m wide if it includes the main pedestrian entrance to the dwelling). If there are garage doors/gates opening onto the drive, then a minimum length of 6.0m is required for one space. If there are no gates or doors then 5.0m is considered acceptable.

12. Building Elements

There should be no restriction on the type of roof to be used however, roofs must respect the scale, form, massing and visual amenity of both the plot and its wider visual context.

The appearance of walls must reflect their residential setting and be visually appropriate to their surroundings.

Boundary treatments fronting the public realm should ensure compliance with the Design Framework. Other enclosures should be appropriate to their purpose; for example, if they are installed to protect amenity levels, they should be an appropriate height and specification.

© U.S. Department of Agriculture

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Self-Build Housing Prospectus Mickle Well Park, Daventry

A broad range of materials and colours may be used

Homes can be designed to suit all lifestyles

13. Materials & Colour

A broad range of good quality materials and colours which acknowledge and reflect the context of the site and the local area should be used.

Use of natural materials will be encouraged in order to ensure development which doesn’t adversely juxtapose with the wider development.

14. Planning Consent of Detailed Design Proposals

Individual detailed design proposals for each dwelling will need to be submitted to Daventry District Council and the developer for approval against the Design Framework. In addition Daventry District Council will assess all proposals against the relevant prevailing Local and National planning policies.

Due to the minor scale of the detailed applications and in light of the fact that the principle of residential development will have already been approved, it is likely that such Reserved Matter applications will be considered under Officer’s Delegated Authority. In other words, that it can be dealt with by Planning Officers rather than needing to go before the Planning Committee.

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Self-Build Housing Prospectus Mickle Well Park, Daventry

Orbit HomesGarden Court, Harry Weston Road Binley Business ParkCoventry, CV3 2SU

+44 (0)2476 437 040

orbithomes.org.uk

Development team

Barton Willmore7 Soho Square, London W1D 3QB

T. +44 (0)20 7446 6888 F. +44 (0)20 7446 6889

bartonwillmore.co.uk

Landform Estates Ltd23–25 Great Sutton StreetLondon EC1V 0DN

T +44 (0)20 7017 1788 F +44 (0)20 7017 1781

landformestates.com

Developer

John Thompson & Partners 23–25 Great Sutton Street London EC1V 0DN

T +44 (0)20 7017 1780 F +44 (0)20 7017 1781

jtp.co.uk

Cooper Partnership127 Hampton Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6JE

T. +44 (0)117 946 7488 F. +44 (0)117 946 7478

cooperpartnership.com

Masterplanner Landscape Architects

Ecology Solutions Ltd.The Square, Stow on the Wold,Gloucestershire GL54 1AB

T. +44 (0)1451 870767

ecologysolutions.co.uk

Cannon Consulting EngineersCambridge House Lanwades Business ParkKentford CB8 7PN

T. +44 (0)1638 555107 F. +44 (0)1638 555106

cannonce.co.uk

Ecology and Habitats Consultants Flood Risk and Services Consultants

Planning Consultants

i-Transport LLPGrove House, Lutyens Close, Chineham Court, Basingstoke RG24 8AG

T. +44 (0)1256 338640 F. +44 (0)1256 338644

i-transport.co.uk

Transport Consultants

CgMS140 London Wall, London EC2Y 5DN

T. +44 (0)20 7583 6767 F. +44 (0)20 7583 2231

cgms.co.uk

Archaeology and Heritage ConsultantsLandform works in partnership with landowners, local authorities and other stakeholders to deliver land for housing. The company has a successful track record of gaining planning consent, even for the most complex sites.

This success comes from always putting a high priority on meeting local needs and taking the impact of new development into account. In this way value is increased for everyone, not just the developers.

Orbit Homes is one of the largest private and social housing providers in the UK, with a portfolio of 39,000 homes and around 1,400 employees. It has an annual turnover of £200m and currently develops around 1,000 homes a year with a target to deliver 12,000 new homes by 2020. It has lead partner status with the Homes and Communities Agency and is one of their major delivery partners in terms of funding allocation.

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Self-Build Housing Prospectus Mickle Well Park, Daventry

Landform Estates Limited

23–25 Great Sutton StreetLondon EC1V 0DN +44 (0)20 7017 1788info@landformestates.com landformestates.com

Orbit Homes

Garden Court, Harry Weston Road Binley Business ParkCoventry, CV3 2SU

+44 (0)2476 437 040

orbithomes.org.uk