Collaton

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The vision for the development at Collaton is to create a high-quality housing community that reflects the local context and surroundings. The design takes inspiration from the rural estate housing locally and incorporates elements of the Garden Village movement, characterised by leafy hedge-lined streets. The goal is to establish an environment that has a strong sense of place and a cohesive character that harmonises with its rural setting.

The development includes the creation of new parkland and a robust planting scheme that aims to cultivate future veteran trees and leave a positive landscape legacy. The intention is to prioritise green spaces, soft landscaping, woodland walks, and ample amenity spaces to enhance the overall appeal and enjoyment of the community.

The design of the homes themselves follows a bespoke approach, utilising traditional building forms and a materials palette that reflects the local vernacular. The homes are assembled with honesty, drawing inspiration from popular architectural details of the past, such as bay windows, and arranged in rhythmical street patterns. This approach contributes to the overall character and charm of the development.

A key aspect of the vision is to create defendable spaces, clear plot boundaries, and establish a close relationship between homes and parking areas. This design choice aims

to reinforce a sense of personal ownership and control for the residents. By fostering this sense of ownership, it is believed that individuals will develop a personal investment in the place and the community at Collaton.

Furthermore, the development is committed to being tenure blind, meaning that there is a uniform approach to detailing and treatments across the entire development. This ensures that the affordable housing provided at Collaton, which accounts for 46% of the housing, is seamlessly integrated with the market-rate homes. The decision to provide a higher level of affordable housing than what is required by policy demonstrates the developers ambition to address the local housing stock imbalance. This initiative in one of the Country's most expensive places to buy a home is particularly welcomed by many local families who have been displaced from the area due to the high cost of living but still have strong connections to the community through work, family, and friendships.