Natural England’s new Chief Executive, Neil Hornby, has visited Redrow South East’s Crown Hill View development in Ashford, to highlight how new homes and nature recovery can be delivered side by side.
The visit comes a year after the official opening of the £3.5million Conningbrook Wetland, an innovative nature-based solution developed by Redrow and Quinn Estates to address nutrient pressures while enabling much-needed new homes to progress.
Located alongside Crown Hill View, the 3.2-hectare wetland draws water from the Great Stour and uses more than 140,000 reeds to naturally filter nutrients from the water before it is returned to the river system.
As well as supporting improvements to water quality and helping mitigate impacts on the Stodmarsh wetland site, Conningbrook has transformed former agricultural land into a nature-rich environment, giving residents access to green space and providing new habitats for wildlife.
Natural England has been collaborating with Redrow on the wetland over the last year, which could set an example of how early engagement between developers, environmental bodies and local partners can help unlock sustainable development while delivering meaningful benefits for nature.
Neil Hornby, Chief Executive of Natural England, said: “It’s been great to visit Conningbrook and Crown Hill View, seeing first-hand what is possible when we work together. New homes, green spaces and nature recovery are being delivered side by side, showing that growth and nature go hand in hand.”
“As I begin my role as Chief Executive, I want to continue building strong partnerships with the people shaping our landscapes and finding solutions which deliver for both people and nature.”
Crown Hill View was one of the first residential developments in the South East to secure planning permission and environmental approvals using a purpose-built wetland mitigation scheme.
Dan Hoare, Technical Director at Redrow South East, said: “The ambition with Conningbrook was to create a long-term environmental asset which improves water quality, supports biodiversity and gives people living here an exceptional natural landscape to enjoy as part of everyday life.”
“Crown Hill View is also a strong example of the principles we’re applying to our developments across the country. It shows what putting people and nature at the heart of design can look like in practice – with a biodiverse wetland, green infrastructure and community facilities alongside high-quality, energy-efficient homes.”
“By working together with Neil and the Natural England team, we will be able to tackle some of the complex challenges facing housing delivery and the natural environment – ensuring that legislation works in sync with the practicalities of delivering high-quality homes.”
“We’re looking forward to continuing this partnership, creating better places that work for people, communities and nature for the long-term.”
Mark Saunders of Quinn Estates, said: “Conningbrook is a great example of what can be achieved when environmental challenges are approached as an opportunity to collaborate and innovate, rather than a barrier to growth. Together, we’ve been able to transform agricultural land into a valuable habitat while providing a practical solution to nutrient neutrality and supporting the delivery of much-needed new homes and community infrastructure across the South East.”
The wetland forms part of the wider Conningbrook Park masterplan developed by Redrow and combines new homes with significant green infrastructure and community facilities including play parks, a school and bowling green.
Crown Hill View is also one of the developments helping demonstrate Barratt Redrow’s new Great Places placemaking standard. The new standard aims to put people at the heart of design and focuses on creating healthy, sustainable communities where nature, homes and everyday amenities are planned together.
Alongside the wetland, Redrow has worked with Natural England to create an off-site habitat for Great Crested Newts. Future collaborations are also planned, including a series of job swaps between Redrow’s technical and design teams and Natural England, aimed to help foster greater understanding of the practicalities of both policy and housing delivery.
