Studio Partington www.studiopartington.co.uk

Derwenthorpe

Location , Client Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust Project Size 540 homes Status Phase 1 completed 2016 Phase 2 completed 2017 Phases 3 and 4 under construction, completion expected 2019

Masterplanners Studio Partington Concept Masterplanners PRP Architects Planning Consultant Jennifer Hubbard Client Advisor DSP Architects One of the first large scale exemplar low-carbon Project Managers communities in Northern , Derwenthorpe represents MDA Consulting an intelligent and successful response to the demands of Structural and Highway Engineers energy efficient design and the requirements of an equitable Alan Wood and Partners and sustainable development. Services Engineers Arup Landscape Architects FIRA Overview residential streets, thereby integrating the scheme into the existing context, rather Flood Risk Consultant Derwenthorpe is a mixed tenure, JBA Consulting exemplar sustainable community of 540 than simply existing as a standalone high-quality, energy efficient homes on development. Development Partner and Contractor the periphery of York. The First Phase, David Wilson Homes The masterplan makes good use of the consisting of 64 homes, was completed in existing hedgerows to structure the site. Prototype Houses and Energy Centre Contrac- March 2013 and construction of the next tor These have been enhanced to create phase is underway. Mansell ecological zones and amenity spaces Embodying the ethos and legacy of that thread through the development. A Monitoring the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, network of pedestrian and cycle routes Leeds Beckett University and UCL and following the precedent set by cross the site allowing easy access nearby model village New Earswick, between neighbourhoods and into the Derwenthorpe provides a residential centre of York via the Sustrans cycle community that meets not only the network. demands of the current inhabitants but also those in the future. Within the scheme, the different sized houses are used appropriately to support Masterplan the urban structure and provide enclosure and continuous frontages to the streets The first phase of the scheme is an and spaces. Larger houses are used extension to the existing village of adjacent to the surrounding open spaces, , enhancing the local and at key points to punctuate the community and extending Osbaldwick streetscape and terminate forward views. Village Street. Similarly the future The smaller houses are generally used in phases connect to and extend other Derwenthorpe Studio Partington

short terraces along the homezones with plants can be grown, wet clothes and Awards the elevations varied to suit the position boots can be left, and children can play AJ Architecture Awards 2017 of the houses, for instance at gables or with direct access to the garden. Sustainable Project of the Year (Phase 1) corners. RIBA Awards 2017 Derwenthorpe is a joint venture National Award (Phase 1) Homes development between the JRF/JRHT, Regional Sustainability Award Regional Project Architect of the Year The 540 home development comprises a social landlord, and David Wilson two, three and four bedroom homes with Homes, a private developer. Undertaking Inside Housing Development Awards 2017 areas between 90m2 and 170m2. The the development in this way provides a Best Affordable Housing Development (rural/ suburban) (Phase 1) designs draw on the rich architectural mixture of tenure, with 40% being for rent legacy of the Joseph Rowntree and shared ownership and 60% for private York Design Awards 2017 Foundation’s century-old model village sale. All houses are designed to the same Large Residential Category Winner (Phase 2) at nearby New Earswick. Careful choice standard and with the same appearance Insider Property Industry Awards of materials and detailing combined regardless of tenure. The affordable 2017 with large steeply pitched roofs, painted homes are ‘pepper potted’ across the Residential Development of the Year brickwork, and striking dormer windows whole site, avoiding grouping of tenure Civic Trust Awards 2014 create a distinctive sense of place. and promoting equality and diversity. Award Winner (Phase 1) The houses are light and well Built for Life Quality Mark Sustainability proportioned with generous flexible Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Yorkshire rooms, designed to comply with the Prior to commencing Phase 1, two Awards for Planning Excellence 2014 requirements of both Lifetime Homes and prototype houses (TAP) were developed Yorkshire Planning Excellence Award (Phase 1) Housing Design Awards 2013 Completed Winner (Phase 1) York Design Awards 2013 New Build: Residential Award (Phase 1) The Press People’s Award for 2013 What House? Awards 2013 Silver Award for Best Development Category Building Magazine Awards 2013 Housing Project of the Year – Highly Commended Sunday Times British Homes Awards 2012 Best Affordable Housing Development Housing Design Awards 2010 Project Winner (Phase 1a)

Publications Age-friendly Housing: Future design for older people Better Buildings: Learning from buildings in use Contemporary Vernacular Design: How British Standards and Quality in Development. to evaluate design, construction, and “From first light through housing can rediscover its soul Dual aspect main living rooms bring performance. The findings from the to sunset all of the main natural light deep into the plan and allow continual assessment and monitoring A Sustainable Community? Life at Derwenthorpe 2012-2015 rooms in the house use cross ventilation throughout the year, directly influenced the construction while high ceilings of 2.6m and 2.7m lend and detail of all 540 homes. In this way RIBA Future Homes Commission Report sun and light to good an overall sense of light and space. JRHT helped ensure that a large-scale Detail Daylight & Architecture supplement effect. It is endlessly sustainable community is delivered as Spring 2018 pleasant.” All houses have been carefully orientated intended and continues to perform as The List 18 – Directory of Chartered Practices with larger windows facing south and initially envisaged and designed. RIBA Journal: The awards 2017 many houses have sunspaces to maximise – David Friend, Architecture Today useful solar gain. The sunspaces act as A ‘fabric first’ approach forms the basis of Issue 240 (July/August 2013) Derwenthorpe resident a thermal buffer throughout the year – the sustainability strategy for the homes, Urban Design collecting solar energy in the winter and which have highly efficient building fabric Issue 124 (Autumn 2012) helping to cool the houses in the summer, with good u-values, low air-permeability, providing secure ventilation at high level, and carefully controlled thermal bridging. and making use of the stack effect for Informed by the prototype testing, the ventilation. On the street elevations the houses were constructed using partial- sunspaces are also used to provide a fill cavity thin bed masonry walls and a degree of privacy to the south facing living structurally insulated panel roof system rooms, while maintaining high levels of (SIPS). The masonry wall construction daylight. On the garden side they provide with rigid PIR partial cavity insulation and a practical indoor/outdoor space where the inner thin bed blockwork leaf provides Derwenthorpe Studio Partington

high insulation levels and the temperature spaces that have been created through regulating effects of thermal mass. The a collaborative relationship with the SIP panel roofs are straight forward to highways and planning officers. The construct and provide a robust solution intention to create a pedestrian priority for thermal performance and air-tightness, and child friendly environment, was due to minimal penetrations through the foremost in design discussions. The air-tightness barrier. Post-completion scheme is now held up as an exemplar by monitoring of the homes has shown a the highways department, in terms of both significant narrowing of the performance process and outcome. gap between predicted and actual energy use. A commitment to the environment is shown in the landscape design. When All 540 homes will obtain their heating and complete, a third of the site will be hot water from the biomass-fired district comprised of beautifully conceived heating network, housed in an on-site landscape, which will conserve ancient energy centre. Known locally as the Super hedgerows and species-rich grassland as Sustainable Centre (SSC), this building well as providing wildflower meadows and has a dual function as a community an enhanced wetland habitat to support centre and meeting space. It provides an great crested newts. The Jubilee Pond, environment for the community to come at the heart of Derwenthorpe, provides together, for local groups to meet, and for a safe environment for the breeding of the education of local schools and the ducks, geese, and other wildlife new to public about sustainability, alternative the area. The pond is also a key part of energy sources, and carbon reduction in the sustainable urban drainage system a functioning energy centre. Visitors are (SUDS), and helps to mitigate against able to enter the plant room and to view flooding and control water flow into the operation of the biomass boilers from Osbaldwick beck. a first floor level viewing balcony.

“Derwenthorpe is different: there is a host of innovation under the surface, painstaking attention to details, research and critical evaluation, and above all good placemaking that justifies the claims of exemplar status, and the awards and best-practice citations.” “The quality landscaping – Irena Bauman, Architecture Today and the pedestrianised design of the estate all add to a sense of joy and well- Energy saving measures are not limited Community being. This is a genuinely to the design of the houses alone. The Exploring how to achieve a more inspirational space to live.” masterplan recognises the importance environmentally and socially sustainable of streets as places for social interaction, community lies at the heart of – Paul Black, using homezones and mews courtyards Derwenthorpe. The Joseph Rowntree to limit access for cars and to prioritise Derwenthorpe resident Housing Trust (JRHT) is not just a social pedestrians. The site is well connected to landlord; its ethos very much embraces York City Centre via a dedicated Sustrans these notions, and as such, it strives to path, helping to promote cycling and involve the local community and debate walking over the use of private cars. local and national issues. All residents are provided with a travel voucher to assist with purchasing a bike During the development of Derwenthorpe or a free bus pass, an electric car club there was much consultation with the City provides the opportunity to use a car by of York’s various departments including the hour, and an electric bus service also Planning and Community Involvement, runs from Derwenthorpe into the centre Highways, Drainage, Environmental of York. Health, and Sustainability. In addition, consultation was undertaken with Landscaping Yorkshire Water and Northern Electric An important feature of the development Distribution plc. JRHT also communicated is the quality of the streets and public the principles of the development Derwenthorpe Studio Partington

to the recognised Derwenthorpe yoga sessions. To further support these “It is a real community Committees and Sub-groups attended activities, JRHT is contributing money to by local representatives and City of York a Community Fund towards community now and the Residents Councillors, through consultation with the facilities and activities in and around the Association reflects this. local community. development. High-quality housing like As the residual key landowner, JRHT Monitoring and post-occupancy feedback this is just what York needs is committed to remain involved as an Evaluation of Phase 1 is being undertaken and it is a real boost to the agency to sustain and maintain with four distinct approaches: the community and its environment area.” • Mid-construction tests and for the long term. The Derwenthorpe inspections are regularly carried Facebook page is proving very effective – Hugh Bailey MP out to help maintain construction for JRHT staff and residents to share quality, particularly with regard to vital information and updates about fabric performance and services what is going on at Derwenthorpe, commissioning. and for residents to connect with their • A sample of homes has undergone neighbours. The Facebook page has a forensic post-completion test, to also been used to advertise community verify the whole-house heat loss and events including the establishment of services installation as handed over. a Community Garden, attending The • Specific technology testing is looking Big Tidy Up, and the inauguration of at recurring challenges created by the Osbaldwick Community Choir (the first adoption of new technologies with resident led activity at Derwenthorpe), regard to ventilation and indoor air as well as displaying information quality. regarding upcoming consultations and • Wide-ranging post-occupancy how residents can get involved and log monitoring covers everything from their views and opinions. Residents resident experiences to carbon coffee mornings are held at the Super footprinting and evidence of the Sustainable Centre, as are meetings of emerging community, conducted over “Derwenthorpe [...]is an the Osbaldwick Community Choir and imaginative and highly a period of three years. successful [...] template for “I get the opportunity to visit some fantastic housing future similar communities across the country, but this was exceptional. [...] The by other housebuilders, scheme is a great example of what can be achieved which clearly delights the when architects and designers work together with residents and fully merits developers and local authorities to create new its Completed Scheme neighbourhoods that are desirable and enjoyable places Award.” to live.” – Stephen Mullin, Architecture – Kris Hopkins MP Today