Welcome
Award-winning, family-run South Gloucestershire based local housebuilder Cotswold Homes is currently in the process of working up proposals to build a low-carbon development at Land off North Road, Engine Common.
The aim is to develop the site with 18 new homes in a low-density scheme designed with technology to help homeowners reduce their carbon footprints, including photovoltaic (PV) panels and air source heat pumps.
The proposed new homes feature traditional designs that are intended to reflect the character of the local area and remain in-keeping with the existing village.
There is a continued need for additional homes within South Gloucestershire, and this site will contribute towards housing supply.
CONSULTATION
We are in touch with local residents and stakeholders and would greatly value the input of local people to shape our plans. We would welcome your feedback, before we finalise and submit a planning application to South Gloucestershire Council for consideration.
Who are we?
Cotswold Homes Ltd is a house builder established in 2004, dedicated to delivering quality new homes with first class customer care.
We create beautiful new homes featuring elegant designs in popular locations throughout the Cotswolds, South Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset.
We’re a family run business with several NHBC Pride in the Job Award winning site managers. Almost all of our staff members live in the local area and these roots give us a special insight when it comes to sensitive developments and an understanding of what local people need.
We pride ourselves on individually designing each of our developments to meet the needs of our residents and to reflect the character of the surrounding area. We’re not just ‘building houses’, we’re creating brand new communities through thoughtful planning, top quality workmanship and generous landscaping.
Simply, we’re committed to building homes of exceptional quality and engaging with our clients with the utmost integrity. No jargon, clear processes and with knowledgeable staff on hand.
The site
The development site is off North Road. It covers an area of circa 1.1 hectares (2.7 acres) and is currently used for agriculture. The site is in flood zone 1, the lowest level of risk, and has no other designations (such as Green Belt), making it ideal for residential development.
Site considerations and opportunities
In developing the proposals, considerable care and attention has been given to the characteristics of the site and its context, including the relationship to our neighbours.
The constraints and opportunities for the site and its development have been identified as follows. Understanding these points in more detail has helped us to develop our proposals and produce some initial plans.
Considerations
- Consideration of the relationship with neighbouring homes
- Maintaining and enhancing hedgerows to protect the landscape setting and local ecology
- Orientating the site layout to enhance key internal views and promote natural surveillance
- Pedestrian and cycle connections
- The existing Public Right of Way, this may be re-routed or upgraded
- The site is in flood zone 1, which is the lowest risk, and has no other designations
- Access from North Road
Opportunities
- Provision of a varied mix of housing in response to local need
- Establish a new special planting tree to provide focal trees that can be enjoyed by future generations
- Creation of new public green space and play area
- Reflect local design principles in the design of the scheme
- Champion climate change technology to reduce use
- Increase spending in the area as a result of new residents
Our proposals
At Cotswold Homes, all of our developments are designed to respect and positively respond to the social, economic, historic, and environmental context in which they are set. As such, we have undertaken extensive analysis of the Engine Common area, including (but not limited to) discussions with technical specialists as we have developed our proposals. As South Gloucestershire’s local developer, we want to build a scheme of which we can be proud, where people can flourish as part of the wider community.
Our proposals for the site include:
Local investment
Investment in community infrastructure and local services. We expect the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) figure for this development to be in the region of £195,000, of which 15% (around £29,250) will go to Iron Acton Parish Council to spend on local projects. Both South Gloucestershire and Iron Acton Parish councils will be able to spend these funds on the provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure, or anything else that is concerned with addressing the demand that development places on an area.
The regulations require CIL funds to be spent on the provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of ‘infrastructure’.
Infrastructure is defined in the Planning Act 2008, as including:
(a) roads and other transport facilities,
(b) flood defences,
(c) schools and other educational facilities,
(d) medical facilities,
(e) sporting and recreational facilities, and
(f) open spaces.
Local architecture
As a South Gloucestershire-based developer, our schemes are carefully designed by people with significant local understanding so that they positively respond to the characteristics of the surrounding area.
Our proposals consist of two-storey housing, Our development seeks to use the diverse palette of building materials and architectural detailing found in the Engine Common area. The use of brick, render and stone walling with roof tiles in keeping with the local area can be incorporated, along with detailing which reflects the existing style of the village.
Landscaping
As part of our proposals, we will seek to retain existing landscape features such as significant hedgerows and trees. We also propose additional hedgerow and tree planting within the development in order to provide enhanced habitats and landscaping and we are currently seeking to achieve a biodiversity net gain as part of our plans.
Access and Parking
The proposed vehicle access to the site is from North Road. We have produced a detailed engineering proposal, which will be submitted and published through the planning process. This report helps ensure that the design of the access is both safe and practical. The impact of the new site access on the existing road frontage and the existing houses will be mitigated against and softened through the introduction of additional planting buffers either side of the entrance and providing a separate pedestrian route detached from the new road. This will keep the access away from existing housing and provide an attractive landscape gateway to the development beyond.
Feedback and next steps
We are seeking to engage with local residents and stakeholders and would greatly value the input of local people to shape our plans. We would welcome your feedback, before we finalise and submit a planning application to South Gloucestershire Council for consideration.
Please let us know your feedback by completing and submitting the below form.