Working closely with Runnymede Borough Council, we developed a strong vision for the site based around three key objectives: the unique features of the site; the key elements of existing Surrey villages; and Garden Village principles. These then created a series of design principles and themes around which the masterplan was designed.

Surrey is the most wooded county in England, with many of its villages set within a woodland context. Therefore, key to the masterplan design was the retention of large clusters and belts of trees and existing greenery. This, along with the site’s other assets, helped to shape the “Green Grid Concept” which created the overall framework for the design. Connectivity to and through the site was then explored with the creation of several permeable walking and cycling routes set out – most of which follow the green grid to give users a real feeling that they are in Garden Village setting. Only after this were development parcels established and designed.

The site’s unique features helped in the formation of a series of character areas, ranging from higher density apartments, closer to the station and along the M3 edge, to areas comprising a more organic layout set within a parkland setting and around the listed Barrow Hills House. Other key areas of the site included a mixed-use village centre and a country park, which formed the site’s Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace to help mitigate the impact of development on the nearby Chobham Common.

The whole design process has involved multiple stakeholder presentations, exhibitions, site tours and design workshops and included the borough council, county council, parish councils, local residents/ resident groups and specialist design sessions/ reviews with Design South East.