The image illustrates the potential character that could be developed for the new units at Monument Place. The use of timber and sheet cladding materials fits within the vernacular for rural, agricultural buildings. These materials, potentially combined with solar panels, would also provide environmental benefits to the site and its tenants.
Our Development Plans
As custodians of a modern estate, we are always looking to balance our land use with food, forestry, energy, housing and employment.
We are acutely aware how building projects must sensitively fit in with the rural surroundings as well as the community.
We pledge that every one of our building projects, regardless of its use, will aim to comply with the UK’s first green infrastructure benchmark that defines what ‘good looks like’.
This new standard is called ‘Building with Nature’ (https://www.buildingwithnature.org.uk/) and it is all about helping to create better places for people and wildlife.
Its 12 standards surround the themes of Core, Wellbeing, Water and Wildlife and each play an important part in the design of high-quality blue and green infrastructure. In essence, the accreditation is to help create better places for people and wildlife. It is something we strongly believe in.
Monument Place
Our most recent example of ‘Building with Nature’ is Monument Place, just outside of the village of Farndon.
Currently, our 5.5 acre business park provides employment for multiple businesses and for over 60 people full and part-time.
The land at Monument Place has been identified as employment use under the Cheshire West and Chester Local Plan (Part 2).
As part of an expansion of the business park, we recently held a public consultation with the village to showcase our aspirations, as shown below, and this is now submitted to the local authority planning department.
The next phase to the development would add a further 30 jobs and would also be complemented by an aesthetic nature reserve like backdrop to encourage drainage and complement biodiversity.
As well as new recreational routes for walkers and cyclists, we would like to build two padel tennis courts offering local people the chance to enjoy the world’s fastest growing racket sport.
The land gradually falls to the north-west corner of the site, and a series of swales are proposed to allow surface water to slowly drain away, while a wildlife pond surrounded by wildflower meadow will provide new habitats and attractive spaces for both businesses and visitors using the site.
A new recreational route is proposed, linking the footpath on Brewery Lanre to the west with the Chester Road to the east. This shared cycle and footpath will also connect to the meadow and pond previously described, and a cycle storage facility for staff and visitors to use.
Two new padel tennis courts are also proposed, connected to the recreational route, and screened from the industrial unit by new tree planting. These courts will be the only ones in Cheshire West (the nearest court is in Wilmslow at present), and will operate in collaboration with the existing fitness gym at Monument Place.
Churton Hall Farm
We have submitted plans to Cheshire West and Chester Council to transform the Grade II listed historic Churton Hall Farm and its grounds to give it a new lease of life and to protect it for future generations.
Outbuildings in the farmyard would provide 10 new high-quality homes around a courtyard with offices available to residents for homeworking through the renovation of a disused hayloft.
The highlight of the development would be the creation of a care farm to support those with physical and mental challenges that would be run as a not-for-profit CIC (Community Interest Company) and which would become a community and educational resource.
A separate application to sub-divide historic Churton Hall into two separate properties has been given the go-ahead by the council. The house is currently a mix of Elizabethan and Victorian architecture.
Churton Hall is the oldest house on the Estate and parts of it have been dated to the 15th Century. We have consulted with parish councillors and the village closely on our plans over the last couple of years and we believe they offer an exciting future for the site and one that ensures that it continues to be of huge importance to people living and working in Churton, Farndon and other neighbouring villages.
Building with Nature
CORE
The aim is to design a sensitive, attractive and context-led proposal, with the environment and local character at the heart of the scheme. The rural setting is a key driver for the design, with appropriate materials, planting and scale considered throughout.
WELLBEING
The proposal centres on a generous area allocated for wildlife, recreation and amenity, which will provide visitors and staff alike with the opportunity to reconnect with nature and enjoy the outdoors. Promoting interaction with landscape in this way can not only improve well-being, but also encourage people to be more aware of nature around them.
WATER
The sustainable drainage systems proposed across the site will ensure that surface water is handled appropriately, and features such as swales will enable people to understand the effects of heavy rainfall and the benefits of slowing and storing water on site.
WILDLIFE
The site will benefit from a number of enhancements, through wildflower meadows, specimen tree and hedgerow planting and marginal planting to the pond. The quality of habitat will be largely improved, providing nesting, foraging and hunting opportunities for a wide variety of species.
