Thank you for visiting the Idstone Road, Ashbury

Public Consultation website.

Discover our proposals and share your valuable feedback.

Introduction

Existing Site Aerial View. Click on the plan to enlarge.

SevenHomes are promoting land at Idstone Road, Ashbury to provide approximately 26 new homes.

The site is currently in employment use, comprising a small, dated industrial estate which has been deemed no longer fit for purpose by the growing business that presently occupies it.

Accordingly, the site is due to be vacated and following a thorough marketing campaign, a suitable tenant was not forthcoming to occupy the buildings. In line with government targets to redevelop brownfield sites first, SevenHomes deemed the site a logical opportunity for new housing development to help meet identified local and district wide needs for new market and affordable homes.

WHO ARE SEVENHOMES?

Established in 2017, SevenHomes is a regional housebuilder focused on developing land into high quality, sustainable, attractive, and affordable places for modern families and first time buyers.

Founded by experienced property professionals, our forward thinking and modern approach to house building has earned a strong reputation for bringing forward land for development, adding value throughout the planning process with our technical know-how for best-in-class strategies and solutions.

SevenHomes is part of SevenCapital, a diverse property company with complementary interests in the city centre residential market, hospitality and commercial real estate market.

We utilise the skills from the rest of our group to deliver quality and a touch of affordable luxury in all of our homes, to ensure that we deliver homes which meet the needs of our customers.

We specialise in buying all types of land, in any condition, and developing those land opportunities into quality homes which directly respond to meeting local housing needs.

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Constraints And Opportunities

KEY CONSIDERATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Existing landscape belts are to be protected and enhanced to protect houses from overlooking.
Existing buildings on site extending to 36,905sqft to be removed.
Retention of existing vegetation to reduce impact on wildlife. This also offers the opportunity to enhance the biodiversity value and preserve ecological features.
The Barn, hardstanding and redundant structures from the upper grassland area will be removed to return this area to nature.
The Site’s topography allows for the development to be contained below the ridge line of the site, reducing landscape impact.
Retention and linking of existing PROW and Bridleway to Site, providing alternative access and eliminating the need for a route diversion. Also the use of the existing access to site reduces disruption and provides quick access to public transport links.
The existing earthworks bund on-site will be retained and enhanced to create a safe, positive and bio-diverse landscape feature.
Redevelopment of brownfield and infill sites accords with the adopted Neighbourhood Development Plan and emerging Joint Local Plan.
The remaining potential development area extends to approximately 1ha, indicating a minimum development yield of 30 dwellings in accordance with adopted Core Policy 23: Housing Density.

Constraints And Opportunities Plan. Click on the plan to enlarge.

Thoughtful development, rooted in community spirit.

Landscape, Heritage And Ecology

LANDSCAPE

The scheme has been developed with a landscape focus due to its location within the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Reference to relevant guidelines, including the North Wessex Downs Integrated Landscape Character Assessment, ensures that development responds to the key characteristics of this part of the landscape.

The settlement character of Ashbury is a key landscape consideration, and the layout aims to replicate existing settlement patterns in this location.

The Ridgeway National Trail lies approximately 1km to the south-east. Views from higher sensitivity receptors along the trail have been considered, by ensuring built form within the development is subservient to the existing vegetation along the eastern boundary of the site, and with careful consideration of buildings heights.

There are also a number of local public rights close to the site, including along the southern boundary. The southern edge of the development has responded to this by allowing for a set back for new development and new planting, attenuation and open space in this location.

View Into The Site - Looking North East.

HERITAGE

The scheme has been developed with a landscape focus due to its location within the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Reference to relevant guidelines, including the North Wessex Downs Integrated Landscape Character Assessment, ensures that development responds to the key characteristics of this part of the landscape.

The settlement character of Ashbury is a key landscape consideration, and the layout aims to replicate existing settlement patterns in this location.

The Ridgeway National Trail lies approximately 1km to the south-east. Views from higher sensitivity receptors along the trail have been considered, by ensuring built form within the development is subservient to the existing vegetation along the eastern boundary of the site, and with careful consideration of buildings heights.

There are also a number of local public rights close to the site, including along the southern boundary. The southern edge of the development has responded to this by allowing for a set back for new development and new planting, attenuation and open space in this location.

Grade 1 Listed St Mary the Virgin Church in Ashbury.

ECOLOGY

A UK Habitat Classification Survey combined with a visual survey for badgers and a visual assessment of buildings/trees for roosting bats was carried out on the site.

Three of the buildings on site were identified as having some limited potential to support roosting bats. Accordingly, a bat emergence survey was carried out and no bats were observed emerging from the buildings, which can be confirmed as ‘likely absent’ from roosting bats. Activity on site was limited with mainly passes of common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle bats. Sensitive lighting should be implemented and artificial enhancements such as bat boxes included within the development to ensure the local bat population is considered.

Based on the indicative development proposals presented today, we anticipate being able to provide a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain on site, offsetting the ecological impacts from the development.

Baseline Habitat Plan. Click on the plan to enlarge.

Building a future that respects our past.

Technical Matters

FLOODING

Indicative Drainage and Levels Drawing. Click on the plan to enlarge.

The site lies fully within Flood Zone 1, at very low risk of flooding. There is also a negligible risk of flooding from rivers and streams.

There have been no historic flood risk events following a search of relevant data and residual risks associated with surface water flooding are not significant.

Surface Water Drainage is being carefully assessed, and SevenHomes’ proposals comprise less impermeable surfaces than the current commercial site, ensuring that there is no increase in surface water run-off from the development of the site.

FOUL DRAINAGE

A piped gravity solution will be used for wastewater disposal, additionally a Connection Point has been confirmed by Thames Water into their network below Idstone Rd.

SevenHomes will continue to work with Thames Water on any required upgrades during planning and design phases and implement them into the overall scheme if required.

Example of typical Sustainable Urban Drainage Feature/ Balancing Pond with Planting to Maximise Biodiversity.

SURFACE WATER DRAINAGE

An attenuated gravity system limited to greenfield run-off rates will be used. The system is designed for storm resilience with climate change allowances.

A balancing pond is incorporated to manage flow rates and provide ecological enhancement.

UTILITIES & SUSTAINABILITY

The development will be fully electric, with no gas supply, and has been designed to exceed energy standards in the Building Regulations (Part L) and meet the objectives of the Future Homes Standard.

Fabric efficiencies and the use of renewable technologies such as Air Source Heat Pumps will be incorporated, targeting a >60% CO2 reduction vs. the baseline 31% requirement. In addition to this, EV charging points are proposed at every dwelling.

Renewable energy technologies will be chosen for low noise and minimal environmental impact and will align with the latest industry guidance on noise levels, with an upper limit of just 45dB between 7am and 7pm, reducing to a maximum of 40dB between 7pm and 7am.

There has been extensive coordination with host utility providers Thames Water, SSEN, Wales & West and Openreach.

An on-site substation will be upgraded to meet the requirements of the development without affecting village power capacity.

Full FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) for superfast broadband will be provided.

Example of Sustainable Renewable Technology.

Air Source Heat Pumps for Heating and Cooling.

ACCESS AND HIGHWAYS

The existing site access onto Idstone Road will be retained, upgraded, and designed to ensure two cars can simultaneously access and egress. The informal pedestrian crossing point south of the site’s access on Idstone Road will be upgraded with tactile paving, enhancing site and surrounding area connectivity.

Bus stops along Idstone Road, accessible from the site entrance, are served by Route 64. This service runs between Lambourn and Swindon with up to five daily services (six days a week), enabling sustainable travel to local population and employment centres.

The internal layout consists of a primary access road and private drives. Its design encourages low vehicle speeds and prioritises pedestrian movements. Parking for the development will be in accordance with OCC’s Parking Standards for New Developments, ensuring sufficient parking to meet demand. Each dwelling will be fitted with EV charging points and benefit from safe, sheltered, secure cycle parking.

An assessment of the anticipated trip generation of the development indicates a reduction in vehicle trips compared to the site’s extant use. Therefore, the proposals will not severely impact highway network operation or safety.

Proposed Access Works. Click on the plan to enlarge.

Key:

A. Extent of existing adopted public highway.

B. Footpath upgrade works to tie into existing.

C. 2.4m by 25m vehicular visibility splay required for surveyed speed limits.

D. New tactile paving, dropped kerb and crossing point to provide link to bus stop.

E. 1.8m by 25m pedestrian visibility splay.

F. New 5.5m wide access road to upgrade existing, with 2m wide footpath either side.

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Masterplan

Following pre-application consultation with Ashbury Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and from Vale of White Horse District Council, our scheme has been redesigned to accommodate a reduced number of 26 homes. These are the proposals upon which we are consulting you today.

Masterplan. Click on the plan to enlarge.

1. Utilising and upgrading the existing site access to provide a safe access to the development for vehicles and pedestrians, whilst maintaining existing rights of way.

2. Incorporating a sustainable drainage basin, designed as a permanently wet feature, to attenuate storm water and provide ecological enhancement.

3. An enhanced landscape buffer has been created which will help soften the existing edge of the development site and blend the open countryside with Ashbury village.

4. Feature Bungalow plots are incorporated on the southern edge of the development creating a diversification in building heights and helping to soften the edge of the development.

5. The existing raised land to the rear of the site will be retained and enhanced for biodiversity.

6. The housing mix has been informed through consultation with Ashbury Parish Council’s draft Housing Needs Survey and the District Council’s Housing Officer, and now includes a wider mix of market housing, including 2 bedroom bungalows, and 2 and 3 bedroom affordable homes.

Design

Feature chimney to selected plots
Stone headers and cills
2 course stretcher brick on selected gables
Variation of flat, apex and lean-to canopies
Projecting low-level single course stretcher brick
Corbelled brick eaves
Recessed brick feature on selected gables
Variation between red and grey slate tiles
Horizontal Waney Edged timber cladding boards in Anthracite
Half height glazed doors, with glazing panel on selected plots
Additional vertical bars in windows
Rough cast cream render
Brick headers and cills
Feature brick quoins on rendered plots

MATERIALS

Ashbury benefits from a diverse materials palette, ranging from stone, brick, render and even sections of timber cladding to elevations, alongside slate and plain tile roofs.

Our development will draw upon this varied materiality with a mixture of high-quality red brick and render elevations. Where properties are rendered, exposed quoins and brick courses above lintels will create visual interest.

Existing properties within Ashbury have a varied mix of roof material, from grey slate, terracotta tiles and thatched roofs.

The development will seek to integrate into the existing village when viewed from the streetside and from afar by providing a range of roofing materials on-site, predominantly comprising grey slate and plain roof tiles.

ASSIMILATION INTO EXISTING VERNACULAR OF VILLAGE

Due to the scale and mixed topography of the site, distribution of housing is limited to simpler block structures. However, the design seeks to draw from Ashbury’s sinuous, curving streets and informal distribution of built form. Plots are staggered from the road frontage and angled irregularly to help break up the pattern of built form.

Roofs throughout Ashbury are primarily gabled, both singular and multi-gabled, and with and without roof dormers. A smaller number of hipped and mansard roofs are also present, primarily to more recent dwellings. We are proposing both gable and hipped roofs as these are less bulky than mansards.

Fenestration patterns within Ashbury are primarily geometric. Exposed window and door lintels are prevalent, and vary between flat and arched lintels highlighted with brick soldier courses. Our proposed house types adopt similar features to add visual interest and to help the new dwellings assimilate within the village.

Projecting canopies to front doors provide interest in the visual depth of properties and further help break up any uniform pattern of development from emerging.

Together, we can build a thriving Ashbury for generations to come.

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Key Benefits

SevenHomes’ proposals will provide a number of benefits for the village:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Based on our revised design for 26 homes, the development will provide 9 (35%) new affordable dwellings for the village, meeting the identified need within the Draft Ashbury Housing Needs Assessment and meeting policy requirements for delivering affordable housing within the District.

Affordable Homes will be ‘local first’ homes, meaning that people who already live within the village, or have a local connection will be given first choice when applying for affordable housing.

The affordable homes will provide a mix of rented and affordable ownership tenures, helping to meet a wide range of affordable needs.

BROWNFIELD REGENERATION, PROTECTING ENCROACHMENT INTO OPEN COUNTRYSIDE

‘Brownfield First’ is a development approach that prioritises the redevelopment of previously developed land for new housing, rather than developing on greenfield land.

Regenerating brownfield sites removes pressure from developing on open countryside, helping to protect the landscape and visual settings of towns and villages.

Brownfield regeneration often brings environmental benefits by funding the removal of contaminated materials and remediation through the capital receipts that new housing bring.

Brownfield redevelopment also provides greater opportunity for Biodiversity Net Gain from development sites.

Aerial Photo of the Existing Bunce Ashbury Brownfield Site. Click on the image to enlarge.

RURAL ECONOMIES

New homes create jobs in the construction and related industries.

New residents contribute to local spending, benefiting shops, pubs, and other rural businesses.

By providing affordable housing options, new developments enable people to live and work in their local area, supporting schools, healthcare, and other essential services.

Rural schools that are below maximum operating capacity benefit from government funding per new pupil admitted, helping to keep local schools open and accessible.