Show respect for the local area
A great development does everything it can to honour and respect the local area, making design choices that take into consideration the history, natural landscape and character of a place. The most popular new build developments complement their surroundings and create a sense of belonging within the community.
New build homes sometimes get criticised for being characterless, which is something we firmly believe all developers should work hard to avoid. Every new home we build is designed with careful consideration, to become a beautiful new part of its area’s heritage and history.
Offer beautiful public spaces that make sense
The best new build developments understand that creating beautiful and practical public spaces for residents to enjoy is just as important as the houses themselves. Every Ashfield development is designed as a harmonious whole, with even the smallest details of the surrounding streets – from the pavements and street furniture to signage and lighting – proudly becoming things of beauty in their own right.
A great development will also encourage simple and accessible living. As part of this, roads should provide a safe, efficient walking environment and improved traffic flow. This will allow for ease of movement throughout the community and into the wider area, as well as a sense of cohesion within the development. Taking care to provide a good range of amenities within walking distance is also extremely valuable to homebuyers.
Add value to the area
The more popular developments will be ones that invest heavily in social and physical infrastructure, in order to become valuable in economic and environmental terms. This may include providing useful green spaces and creating a range of employment, in the form of new businesses that will allow the area to thrive. A good development will encourage long-term investment in the area and its infrastructure.
Every space within a new build development should serve a purpose and provide value to residents. There should be no wasted land or spaces that are inaccessible.
Ensure longevity
A well-designed development will be made up of streets and buildings that can cope with a variety of uses during their lifetime. A community that remains adaptable over the years is one that will truly stand the test of time and become cherished by residents.
Create a sense of harmony
Every element of a great development will work together to create a sense of seamless beauty, while perfectly complementing the local aesthetic. Developments that don’t prioritise harmony and cohesion will appear confused, ugly and uninviting.
Make use of local, sustainable materials
Building materials should be chosen with care to ensure they improve with age and weathering. Where possible, they should also be locally sourced and sustainable. This will not only support the local economy but also ensure that new developments complement and honour their surroundings. You can find out more about why we believe it’s important to build with local materials in our recent article.
Promote a sustainable way of life
The best places to live are those which encourage a healthy lifestyle and enable residents to live sustainably. Each of our communities is designed in a way that gives more space to walkers and cyclists while ensuring amenities are within walking distance. Not only do Ashfield developments include ‘edible streets’ that produce fruit, herbs and nuts, but we also add features such as bee bricks and nesting boxes that support local wildlife.
Build communities
At the heart of every new development should be a sense of community. At the planning stage, developers should encourage early involvement of the local communities. This will help to create places that have a positive effect, meet people’s needs, and inspire a sense of pride. The Ashfield Partnership is committed to place-making, which means building communities where people are proud to live and work for generations to come.
The Ashfield Partnership comprises The Ashfield Estate and three local housebuilders who share our vision to create valuable, sustainable communities. We are currently building three new developments: Luzborough, Whitenap and Mountbatten Park. To find out more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
