Throughout the development of the Village 7 Masterplan and Design Code, Taylor Wimpey has been listening to the views and feedback from the local community. This page summarises the most common feedback we have received by post, over the phone, by email, verbally at our events, and via the feedback forms received at our pop-up events and exhibition events. Alongside the summary is the response to each item with either information or changes we expect to make.
Placemaking and Homes |
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| You said… | |
| You’d like to see an identity for Village 7 which avoids bright colours or materials not considered suitable | The village is currently being developed as three character areas which take their cues from local designs and landscape. The architectural colour palette has drawn from an analysis of local materials and will include durable and sustainable materials from traditional to modern. Therefore, the use of brightly coloured building materials will not be appropriate for Village 7.
Providing design interest in character through an appropriate managed amount of variation is a key design priority for Taylor Wimpey. Taylor Wimpey is considering and consulting on Design Coding matters and Character Area proposals at Stage 2 of the Village 7 masterplan process to ensure the creation of high quality, beautiful and sustainable buildings. |
| You’d like more detail on why parts of the Village Centre are proposed to be five storeys | This was agreed as a parameter of the outline planning permissionOutline planning permission/application – An application which establishes fundamentals about a development, including the principle of development itself. Village 7 received a Resolution to Grant its outline planning permission in March 2023.. The five-storey parameter relates to a small area in the middle of the Village Centre and allows for a landmark building or feature.
Having a parameter merely sets a maximum design height and does not mean designs will maximise that height in all instances; building designs will still need to demonstrate appropriate high quality design – which may mean lower heights (or up to the parameter height) where appropriate. The precise height of buildings will not be finalised at the masterplanning stage, but rather when reserved matters applicationsReserved matters planning application – An application which comes after an outline planning application, it deals with specific details about the development. are submitted after the approval of the masterplan for Village 7. What the masterplan will consider, is, at a high level, a concept of where greater height may be more appropriate; this would then feed into design principles incorporated into the Design Code. |
| You’d like more detail on the location of the Community Heat Hub | Options for the location of the Community Heat Hub are being tested through the Village 7 masterplan process. Taylor Wimpey’s favoured option for this having considered the constraints and opportunities involved is to the west of Church Lane and to the south of the area of existing woodland, which is considered to present various locational advantages, including early delivery ahead of first occupation of homes, which we will explain further as part of the Stage 2 consultation. |
| You’d like to see more information on how Village 7 has been designed to respect Cherished Views | Taylor Wimpey is giving careful consideration to Neighbourhood Plan Cherished Views and how these will be respected by the proposed development. This will principally be achieved through the careful location of built development to protect and minimise impact upon these cherished views. Cherished views do not however require the absence of development, but rather consideration of how those views will change through detailed design; this could include a need for particularly high quality design in those views, enhanced landscaping and other potential factors. Full consideration would be made at the point of reserved matters detailed design. At masterplanning stage, Taylor Wimpey are keen to understand any key design criteria that may need to be reflected within the Design Code.
To help us understand and address this better, cherished views are addressed as part of the Stage 2 consultation and are included in the site appraisal and primary school exhibition boards. |
| You’d like to see more of the emerging Design Code | The design team has already been working on the Design Code alongside the development of the refined parameters for the Village 7 masterplan. This naturally allows for timely consultation upon Design Coding matters as part of Stage 2 of the community engagement with the benefit of feedback already provided concerning the spatial parameters of the masterplan at Stage 1. |
| You’d like a local landmark in Village 7 which is not either employment or residential space | We are considering how a local landmark may best work at Village 7. We are grateful to have received feedback on this item as part of our Stage 2 community engagement, which is currently being considered. The Community Heat Hub will require a fence which could be used as an opportunity for public art at the northern gateway into the village. |
Economy and Regeneration |
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| You’d like to know how employment and retail space around the Village Centre will operate, and what uses will be allocated by Taylor Wimpey | The occupiers are not known yet. However, the outline planning permissionOutline planning permission/application – An application which establishes fundamentals about a development, including the principle of development itself. Village 7 received a Resolution to Grant its outline planning permission in March 2023. will allow for the development of up to 570sqm of shops, financial and professional services, cafés or restaurants. This could include a convenience store / mini supermarket, with local shop units alongside. In addition, Taylor Wimpey is committed to the delivery of a minimum of 1,745sqm of employment floorspace to include an Early Years facility of up to 550sqm, and where demand exists up to a further 3,355sqm of employment floorspace. We are glad to have received, as part of Stage 2 of the masterplan consultation, views from the community about what vision you might have for the village centre and employment/community uses. At the masterplanning stage precises uses, sizes and locations will not be finalised as those factors will depend on the outcome of a marketing exercise to find suitable occupiers, and further design work would then be undertaken through reserved matters applications, which is the stage following masterplanning. |
Sustainable Movement |
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| You’d like to know how access arrangements for the Gypsy and Travellers site will work | Access to the Gypsy & Travellers site will be from the STC/Sustainable Transport CorridorSTC/Sustainable Transport Corridor – The Sustainable Transport Corridor is a route through Village 7 which will connect it to Villages 1-6 of the Gilston Area and south onto Harlow. It will feature public and sustainable transport anchored with a central hub at the village centre.. The timescales for delivery of the Gypsy & Traveller site are currently being negotiated through the Section 106 AgreementS106/S106 Agreement/Section 106 – A Section 106 Agreement is negotiated between a developer and the local authority, in this case East Herts District Council. It sets out the contributions and facilities the developer will offer locally. It is a legally binding agreement.. |
| You’d like more information on how the proposed cycle link to Roydon Station will be delivered | The design and implementation of the details of the Roydon Commuter Link are required for approval of the development pursuant to Condition T6. The delivery of this will be secured through further discussion with the relevant landowners and the implementation of this infrastructure in accordance with the approved details. We are glad to have received further views on what the community envisage for the Roydon Commuter Link as part of the Stage 2 community engagement, which are being considered. |
| You’d like to see more about the redirection of Church Lane through the centre of Village 7, including information on why this is proposed, and if it will be suitable for HGVs | Through the design work undertaken as part of the outline planning application, it has been resolved that Church Lane will be realigned. This is part of the placemaking strategy for the Village Centre to allow for the creation of a key sustainable route between Brickhouse Farm barns and the intended site for the Primary School to the north.
This strategy is also in line with the Neighbourhood Plan analysis of the typical structure of local villages. These typically include a key space at the junction between the main spine (the STC/Sustainable Transport Corridor) and other key routes into the village (the realigned Church Lane). The intention is for this focal space to be to the north of the listed Brickhouse barns so it can form the heart of the development and contribute a strong identity and character to the new village. Similarly, Hunsdon Village Hall is a key landmark and destination fronting a village green at the intersection between key routes in Hunsdon. The realignment will also ensure traffic speeds are reduced compared to the existing alignment ; potential vehicle speeds on the existing alignment would not be appropriate for a village centre. Carriageway widths and junction arrangements will be designed to cater for all vehicles including HGVs. The Church Lane route alignment has been established through the outline planning applicationReserved matters planning application – An application which comes after an outline planning application, it deals with specific details about the development. parameters and is not something that can be revisited as part of the Village 7 masterplan. The outline and refined Village 7 masterplan parameters will facilitate detailed designs for the realignment of Church Lane that will ensure HGVs can safely navigate through Village 7. This will include suitable testing of any reserved matters layout submitted as part of any reserved matters application, through swept path analysis (a study which checks larger vehicles can safely navigate through the proposed road design). |
| You’d like to know how car trips between Hunsdon, and the proposed Primary School will be avoided | Whilst the Village 7 Primary School is intended to primarily serve the new Village 7 community, should any pupils come from Hunsdon, it will not be possible to prevent these journeys being made by private car. However, such journeys to the school will be discouraged with provision made through the design of local streets for ‘Park-and-Stride’, coupled with staff only parking provision made at the Primary School site itself. Taylor Wimpey are also supportive of working with Places for People to encourage pedestrian links through the SLMPStrategic Landscape Masterplan/SLMP – The masterplan for the areas surrounding Villages 1-7, including green infrastructure, cycleways, footpaths and sports facilities. land within Places for People ownership, connecting Hunsdon to the Village 7 area wherever possible. |
| You’d like to know how a pedestrian, cycle and bus link to Village 1 would work, and when this might be delivered | Planning obligations to secure the timely delivery of the STCSTC/Sustainable Transport Corridor – The Sustainable Transport Corridor is a route through Village 7 which will connect it to Villages 1-6 of the Gilston Area and south onto Harlow. It will feature public and sustainable transport anchored with a central hub at the village centre. to Village 1 and to the Central Stort Crossing are currently being negotiated for inclusion in the Section 106 Agreement. The current position is for the connection from V7 to V1 to be delivered before more than 350 homes are occupied in Village 7. With this infrastructure in place and the relevant obligations to secure the bus services that will use this route, timely connectivity will be achieved. |
| You’d like to see more on how the target of a 60% sustainable transport mode share can be achieved at Village 7 | A wide-ranging package of measures is proposed to ensure that the sustainable transport requirements for the development are met. These include the Sustainable Transport Corridor (STC)STC/Sustainable Transport Corridor – The Sustainable Transport Corridor is a route through Village 7 which will connect it to Villages 1-6 of the Gilston Area and south onto Harlow. It will feature public and sustainable transport anchored with a central hub at the village centre. as the backbone for sustainable movement around the Gilston Area and onward to local destinations in the surrounding area via new high quality bus services. Work on the Harlow end of the STC has already begun.
A comprehensive network of pedestrian and cycle infrastructure is proposed and supported via a series of other measures, such as the use of Travel Plans and the application of appropriate car-parking standards is proposed. These measures will be facilitated by the Village 7 masterplan and will be secured through a range of planning conditions and Section 106S106/S106 Agreement/Section 106 – A Section 106 Agreement is negotiated between a developer and the local authority, in this case East Herts District Council. It sets out the contributions and facilities the developer will offer locally. It is a legally binding agreement. obligations. In addition, the design of the masterplan as it evolves, is such that it seeks to use design and highway route layout to promote sustainable travel in favour of private vehicle usage. Should a ”helping hand” be required, Taylor Wimpey are also providing an innovation fund, which could be used (if necessary) to support innovative future initiatives to improve the shift towards sustainable modes of travel and assist achievement of the 60% target. This package of measures will both appropriately discourage use of the private car and encourage movement by sustainable means (walking, cycling and public transport). The implementation of these measures will be managed through the Transport Review Group and funds will be set aside to fund further measures if targets are not reached. In the long-term, the STC would also be able to accommodate the proposed Hertfordshire Essex Rapid Transit (HERT) project which could connect Village 7 to Hertford, St Albans and potential onward connections to Stansted Airport. |
| You’d like to see more information on bus services to Village 7 and whether bus routes would be extended | The delivery of the Village 1-6 and Village 7 developments will be linked through the Section 106 Agreement.
Initially, bus services would be directed into Village 7 at the very early stages of the development; an interim travel hub (i.e. where buses can stop to pick up passengers) will be in place before any houses are occupied, then shortly after, the permanent travel hub will come forward with the village centre. TW then intend to deliver the STCSTC/Sustainable Transport Corridor – The Sustainable Transport Corridor is a route through Village 7 which will connect it to Villages 1-6 of the Gilston Area and south onto Harlow. It will feature public and sustainable transport anchored with a central hub at the village centre. within Village 7 as early as possible to the edge of Village 6. Once the STC link between Village 7 and Village 1 is delivered, buses could then re-route through Village 7, along the STC which crosses Village 6 and Village 5, onward to Village 1 and into Harlow. Once the STC throughout the Gilston Area has been brought forward, buses will be able to connect all villages in effective support of overall sustainability. |
| You’d like to see greater access to cycle infrastructure for Hunsdon residents | Hunsdon residents will be able to use the cycle infrastructure to be delivered as part of the Village 7 development. In terms of cycle connectivity, careful consideration is being given to ensure the refined parameters for the Village 7 masterplan tie in with those proposed as part of the Strategic Landscape MasterplanStrategic Landscape Masterplan/SLMP – The masterplan for the areas surrounding Villages 1-7, including green infrastructure, cycleways, footpaths and sports facilities. and the opportunity for connectivity beyond the site to the existing cycle network. There is an outline commitment for a cycle route between Hunsdon and Village 1. The exact routing of further cycle paths between Hunsdon, Villages 1-6 and Village 7 is a matter of ongoing coordination as part of the SLMP (Strategic Landscape Masterplan). |
Landscape and Green Infrastructure |
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| You’d like to know how existing habitats can be protected | A Village Ecological Strategy is being prepared in support of the Village 7 masterplan pursuant to Condition P2, which will make recommendations for the Village 7 masterplan concerning measures to protect and enhance retained assets (noting commitments secured at the outline application stage) and measures to mitigate the impact of uncontrolled public access to Lords Wood as Ancient Woodland. |
| You’d like to know whether the proposed bund along the side of the A414 will result in the existing tree and hedgeline being removed | A section of tree and hedge line will need to be removed to ensure that appropriate visibility is achieved at the new A414 / Church Lane junction for road safety purposes. The proposed noise bund will also inevitably require the removal of vegetation. The associated reserved matters applicationReserved matters planning application – An application which comes after an outline planning application, it deals with specific details about the development. for the noise bund will include an appropriate landscaping scheme which will include a replacement plating scheme, with the removal of vegetation outside of the bird nesting season to minimise ecological impact. |
| You’d like to see more detail on the Sustainable Drainage Strategy (SuDS), Ecology, Access and Movement Strategies | The baseline investigations required for these technical work areas are being undertaken to inform the development of the Village 7 masterplan proposals. Once the masterplan proposals have been ‘fixed’ following the community engagement process, these respective strategy documents will be finalised for formal submission alongside the Village 7 masterplan, at which time there will be the opportunity for consultation upon these items of work. Proposals for the drainage strategy were addressed as part of Stage 2 of the engagement process, which principally involved ‘on-plot’ provision for sustainable drainage within the developable area of Village 7. It should be noted that full detail of SuDS, ecology mitigation, access design, and other related matters, will be developed following masterplanning and provided through following reserved matters applications. The masterplan builds on the outline planning permission but remains at a high level of detail, alongside a design code which provides further refinement of key design principles. |
| You’d like to see how Village 7 recognises local heritage, including the nearby airfield, its history as a hunting ground and connections to royalty at Hunsdon House | The Gilston Area applicants are jointly working to develop proposals for a heritage trail for the Gilston Area. This will involve the creation of a physical route for the trail and the provision of interpretation information to allow for appreciation of the Gilston Area’s heritage and its specific assets and local history. The refined parameters of the Village 7 masterplan will facilitate this trail, which will be routed to include the heritage assets within the Village 7 masterplan Study Area, which are Brickhouse Farm House and Brickhouse Farm barns.
The Site’s surrounding landscape, including the hunting grounds and fish ponds, was historically a productive landscape to serve Hunsdon House. More recently the Site has had an agricultural use. The landscape proposals for Village 7 capture this heritage through more regenerative agriculture, including foraging species within green corridors; the potential for harvest festival events at brickhouse barns; and retained orchard trees within semi-natural open space. Taylor Wimpey looks forward to including further information about these proposals through Stage 2 of the Village 7 masterplan engagement process. We will were pleased to receive further feedback on heritage at our exhibition events and on our webinar. More information on the events we held, including the materials on display, is available below. Please complete a feedback form if you have comments on how heritage can be included in the plans. |
Miscellaneous |
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| You’d like to know about the work which has taken place on the Strategic Landscape Masterplan (SLMP) | The preparation of Gilston Area masterplan commenced with the Strategic Landscape MasterplanStrategic Landscape Masterplan/SLMP – The masterplan for the areas surrounding Villages 1-7, including green infrastructure, cycleways, footpaths and sports facilities. developed together with Places for People and this has provided the opportunity to inform the Village 7 Village Masterplan work.
The Strategic Landscape Masterplan will be subject to further consultation in the coming months and all work will be integrated and aligned with the Village 7 Masterplan. It should be noted that the SLMPStrategic Landscape Masterplan/SLMP – The masterplan for the areas surrounding Villages 1-7, including green infrastructure, cycleways, footpaths and sports facilities. process is a separate consultation process to that on the village masterplans, and whilst there are connected considerations, the Village Masterplan process will focus on matters specifically related to the village masterplan. SLMP detailed discussions are best directed to those consultation events. |
| You’d like to see details of the phasing of when different elements of Village 7 would be delivered | A Phasing Plan for Village 7 will need to be submitted for approval alongside or prior to the first application for approval of Reserved MattersReserved matters planning application – An application which comes after an outline planning application, it deals with specific details about the development. pursuant to Condition C2. In addition to this formal approval, Village Phasing and Delivery will be addressed in the Village 7 masterplan document.
Our team may be able to give an idea of our expected phasing based on latest assumptions at our public events, however these expectations will be subject to the Phasing Plan submitted to East Herts District Council for approval. Taylor Wimpey’s understanding of phasing will evolve once the final masterplan becomes clearer. |
| You’d like to know who will make up the Education Review Group | This is not yet confirmed, with membership of the Education Review Group being a matter for resolution through the negotiation of the Section 106 AgreementS106/S106 Agreement/Section 106 – A Section 106 Agreement is negotiated between a developer and the local authority, in this case East Herts District Council. It sets out the contributions and facilities the developer will offer locally. It is a legally binding agreement. |
More Information
We shared more information on our emerging proposals at two public exhibition events, two pop-up events and an online webinar in January and February 2024. You can find information on these events and review the material we shared on the Consultations page.
You can also review our feedback report below, which summarises the feedback we received as part of stage one of the consultation in October and November 2023.
