The vision for Dunton Hills Garden Village stems from the site’s unique constraints and opportunities. The site is broken up by ancient woodland, a stream and a prominent ridgeline whilst an historic farmstead sits at its heart. The natural features offer an opportunity to create a framework of green and blue corridors, which seamlessly weave the character of the surrounding Essex countryside into the heart of Dunton Hills Garden Village.
The site’s green network will preserve long-distance views over the Essex Fanns landscape and out towards London while also framing key local views of neighbouring churches. These open spaces will enhance the site’s rich ecology and provide places for the whole community to enjoy.
Our masterplan is sympathetic to the historic Grade II listed farmstead, which is located at the centre of the site, and maintains its current sense of openness through the careful positioning of the village green and market square. These will also anchor the three new neighbourhoods within the Garden Village: Dunton Waters, Dunton Fanns and Dunton Woods. The design of each of the neighbourhoods responds to their distinctive landscape setting and each will contain a range of community, education and retail facilities creating a truly walkable village. Wider connectivity is further enhanced through a mobility corridor linking the site to the nearby station at West Horndon, a central mobility hub and a network of new footpaths and cycle routes.
