White Hill Garden Village Land North of Butterfield Business Park, Luton, Bedfordshire

150m 165m 160m 140m 170m 175m White Hill Garden Village Land north of Butterfield Business PArk, Luton, Bedfordshire Vision180m Document May 2017 175m Contents: 1. Wider context 1 2. placemaking 2 3. Landscape assessment 3 4. Developing a design concept 5 5. Masterplan 7 Produced by Savills Urban Design Studio 6. Benefits 9 for The Crown Estate Savills (UK) Ltd Unex House 132-134 Hills Road Cambridge CB2 8PA For further information contact e: [email protected] t: 01223 347069 Copyright The contents of this document must not be copies or reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of Savills (UK) Ltd. All plans are reproduced from the Ordnance Survey digital map data @ Crown Copyright 2017 License number 0100031673. All rights reserved. 1. Context The Crown Estate Need for Housing Planning Policy The Crown Estate is an independent commercial It is widely accepted that there is an urgent need Luton is surrounded by Green Belt. Accommodating business, established by an Act of Parliament. All of for new homes to address increasing issues of this unmet housing need will require land to be its annual profits are returned to the Treasury for the affordability. released from the Green Belt. benefit of the public finances. The latest estimates are that Luton will need at least To the west of Luton the town already merges with Across its diverse land portfolio, The Crown Estate’s around 17,800 new homes between 2011 and 2031. Dunstable and Houghton Regis and the M1 provides approach remains consistent; driving sustainable The Luton Local Plan proposes that 8,500 of these a significant physical barrier to further growth. To returns and growth through an active approach to can be accommodated within Luton itself and the the south the airport and Luton Hoo – a Grade 1 asset management and long term investment. North Hertfordshire Local Plan proposes that 2,100 Listed House and Estate, are further barriers to can be accommodated on the eastern edge of Luton. growth. The Crown Estate’s history can be traced back This leaves at least around 7,200 new homes to be to 1066. In the 21st century, it is a successful, built around the north, west and south of Luton In contrast, to the north, there are no significant commercial enterprise, established as a market within Central Bedfordshire. constraints and funding has recently been allocated leader in its key sectors and known for a progressive, for a new M1-A6 link road, part of road ultimately sustainable approach that creates long term value, envisaged as linking the M1 to the A505. beyond its financial return. The emerging Luton Local Plan continues to allocate the land immediately to the south of the site – Butterfield Business Park, for employment and associated purposes. 4 to Milton Keynes & to Bedford Site Location Birmingham The site is located on the north-eastern edge of Luton, immediately to the north of Butterfield Business Park, to Bedford which includes a site for a Park-and-Ride. At present the site is located within the Green Belt. To the north is the C h i l t e r n s A O N B Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). C e n t r a l B e d f o r d s h i r e Together with a significant area of land to the north, the N o r t h H e r t f o r d s h i r e to Hitchin site is owned by The Crown Estate. It is currently held on A505 an agricultural tenancy and used for a mix of pasture and A6 arable farming. Site Local authority boundary Important pedestrian route Urban area Leagrave Butterfield Business Park L u t o n Luton Sports Village J11 Luton Airport Dunstable Railway line M1 Railway station Luton Motorway ‘A’ road to London to London & Brighton Local road Northern Bypass route options Butterfield - wider context 5 2. placemaking Garden village principles Design approach It is proposed that the site would draw from the A placemaking and landscape design approach is legacy of the Garden City movement and establish proposed to ensure that development of the site a new community defined by the landscape within would not only lead to a successful community, but which it sites. respond positively to its context and opportunities The site’s location adjacent to Butterfield Business presented by the surrounding area. Park would maximise opportunities for local employment, with community and leisure services Drawing these site-specific aspects together with such as a school and local shops reducing the need best practice, the concept for the site is driven by the to travel, all whilst allowing residents to benefit from objective of creating a strong sense of place, fully the site’s location in and links to the countryside. integrated and linked into surrounding urban and rural areas. The design of Butterfield Garden Village would typify an idea of local living, strong sense of belonging, The vision for the site is to create a sustainable new with well-defined character. mixed-use community, with a variety of new homes suitable for young people, first time buyers, families and the retired and elderly. These new homes would be supported by community and recreational facilities including a new school, shops, community hub and public open space. The living environment would be designed to be accessible to everyone – an inclusive place which makes everyone feel comfortable, safe and secure; a place where people want to live, which promotes an active lifestyle and sense of wellbeing; a place that future residents are proud to call home. The site would deliver a high standard of design across all elements, including housing irrespective of price or tenure. 6 3. Site analysis Site Analysis Transport Studies have been undertaken to inform this The main site access would be from Great Marlings Vision Document and masterplan, looking at – the main route through the Business Park. There landscape, ecology, tran and other environmental are options for secondary and emergency access considerations. from the western part of the Business Park and Butterfield Green Lane respectively. In addition, with These studies have demonstrated that, other than the Chiltern Way running through the site, there are the Green Belt designation, there is no constraint to direct pedestrian connections to the wider public development of the site, in principle. right of way network. They have also demonstrated that access can be There are various services and facilities, such as achieved through the Business Park and that the site shops, schools, sports facilities etc, within reasonable could be developed without any significant adverse proximity of the site. However, the objective is to impact on heritage, ecology, transport and more [I’ll create a new community, combining new homes with finish this sentance off later]. jobs on the Business Park, supported by additional services and facilities. Thus, in addition to the A detailed landscape appraisal has been carried out, services and facilities proposed on-site, the key to which has informed the design principles in this maximising the sustainability of the Garden Village Vision Document and guided the creation of the will be to enhance existing connections, particularly masterplan.s and a number of notable woodlands for pedestrians, cyclists and those using public and copses. transport. The proposed Park-and-Ride facility within the Business Park will further increase accessibility to the site by bus, and opportunities should be taken to extend services into the Garden Village. Likewise, the existing cycle and pedestrian connections through the Business Park, and to elsewhere such as the Chiltern Way, should be enhanced. 7 Ecology The majority of the site comprises arable land and permanent pasture of limited ecological value. However, the hedgerows and extensive woodland areas within and around the site have the potential to provide habitat for protected species such as bats, badgers, reptiles and newts and should be retained. Retention of these features will assist in minimising any loss of nature conservation value. Ecological enhancement measures such as additional hedgerow and woodland planting, grasslands and new nesting and roosting habitat would increase ecological connectivity within the site and increase food sources. View out from the site With the retention of existing habitats around the periphery of the site and the implementation of enhancement measures, development could lead to an increase in biodiversity within the Site. Buildings associated with Whitehill Farm 8 Landscape / Green Belt Site Characteristics • Restriction of urban sprawl: With the southern boundary bordered by the Business Park, the Context & Character The western part of the site includes Whitehill northern and western by significant mature Farm. This area lacks visual cohesion and overall is a hedgerows and woodland, and the opportunity The site is located on an area of elevated plateau – the detractive feature in the local landscape. Adjacent lie to provide a stronger, more durable Green Belt northern end of a much larger plateau occupied by two small fields, contained by tall mature continuous boundary, the site makes a partial contribution to the Stopsley suburb of Luton. hedges. this purpose. The northern fringe areas of the plateau have recently A large arable field forms the eastern part of the site. • Prevention of coalescence: Given the distance been developed with the Inspire Luton Sports Village, This lies partly on the plateau and partly on the upper separating Luton from neighbouring towns and the Vale Cemetery & Crematorium and Butterfield valley slopes of the Lilley valley. A gentle coombe intervening landform and landscape features, the Business Park. forms part of the valley slope, helping to define the site makes no contribution to this purpose.

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