Sustainable haven found in the garden village setting
In the heart of Essex, a proposed new settlement is set to demonstrate sustainable community development: White Notley Garden Village. Spanning over 78 hectares, the site, largely composed of arable farmland, is poised to transform into a vibrant, eco-friendly community.
White Notley Garden Village is more than just a new housing development. It's a testament to sustainable living, aiming to deliver a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain. This means enhancing biodiversity through green corridors, new woodland and hedgerow planting, managed grassland, and new wetland habitats.
The government advocates for building on brownfield sites as the most sustainable option, and White Notley Garden Village has benefited from this opportunity. Sustainable features of brownfield development include rejuvenating deprived areas and supporting urban centres. However, it's important to note that the number of homes deliverable on brownfield sites is minimal in the context of the housing crisis.
White Notley Garden Village is distinguished by the presence of White Notley station, which serves several nearby towns and has direct trains to London Liverpool Street. The community is also connected to the existing village facilities and utilizes a functioning railway station, providing a vibrant sense of community.
A network of public rights of way, including footpaths, bridleways, and the Essex Way, crisscross the site, promising easy access to outdoor spaces for residents. Over forty percent of the new garden village will be publicly accessible parkland, with a Central Park, five kilometres of walking trails, play areas within three minutes of every home, and a new community sports hub.
The 15-minute neighborhood concept is relevant at White Notley Garden Village, as many residents can access key services and facilities within a 15-minute walk or cycle ride. This concept is extended to surrounding villages as well, ensuring a connected and sustainable community.
The new community will feature roads with swales, landscaping, and separate cycle paths, following the 'healthy streets' concept. The masterplan prioritizes active travel, replacing the originally proposed 'vehicle loop' with a network of walking and cycle paths. Cycle security and electric bike charging stations will be available for residents at the community hub and the station.
White Notley Garden Village aims to be an exemplar in energy efficiency, generating 20% of electrical energy from renewable sources on site. The masterplan includes a range of community facilities such as schools, health centres, sports hubs, convenience stores, local shops, and work hubs.
The large size of White Notley Garden Village has enabled the delivery of facilities that would have been impossible on a smaller scale. The development is expected to create a significant number of new jobs in various sectors, including education, healthcare, retail, hospitality, care work, business startups, SMEs, and remote work.
While specific innovative sustainability technologies, energy strategies, or detailed environmental design features unique to White Notley Garden Village were not explicitly found in the current search results, the development is distinguished by its commitment to preserving green spaces, promoting biodiversity, and integrating sustainable transportation options. For precise and detailed sustainability credentials, consulting official White Notley Garden Village development plans or the Braintree District Council planning documents would be necessary.
- White Notley Garden Village is more than just a new housing development; it's a testament to sustainable living, aiming to deliver a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain through green corridors, new woodland, hedgerow planting, managed grassland, and new wetland habitats.
- The new community, White Notley Garden Village, is connected to the existing village facilities and utilizes a functioning railway station, providing a vibrant sense of community and easy access to surrounding towns, including London.
- The large size of White Notley Garden Village has enabled the delivery of facilities that would have been impossible on a smaller scale, creating a significant number of new jobs in various sectors and expected to be an exemplar in energy efficiency, generating 20% of electrical energy from renewable sources on site.
- While specific innovative sustainability technologies or detailed environmental design features unique to White Notley Garden Village were not found, the development is distinguished by its commitment to preserving green spaces, promoting biodiversity, and integrating sustainable transportation options, such as roads with swales, cycle paths, and electric bike charging stations.
