The scheme, to be built on a 37,000m2 agricultural site at the northern edge of Knutsford, is one of three flagship projects within the Crown Estate’s ongoing programme exploring how high-quality, energy-efficient homes can be delivered at scale, with the aim of tackling the affordability crisis.
Tate + Co was appointed last year by the Crown Estate’s development partner, igloo Regeneration. Elsewhere, in Hertfordshire, Archio and Mole have been selected for a scheme by developer TOWN, while at Wootton in Bedfordshire, partner developer gs8, is working with architect Boehm Lynas on a 50-home project.
The planned Cheshire development comprises a mix of homes ranging from one to five bedrooms and up to two and a half storeys, with around 30 per cent delivered as affordable housing and 40 per cent being accessible or adaptable.
The homes have been grouped into ‘community clusters’ of seven to twelve houses, each enclosing either a community or private garden space.
The neighbourhood would be built around a new public realm with landscaping by Planit, including ‘generous’ green spaces, minimal road infrastructure and pedestrian-led streets, along with 135 car parking spaces for residents and visitors. A central park runs through the heart of the masterplan with play spaces and picnic areas.
Igloo project director Michelle Williams said: ‘At Knutsford, we have the opportunity to demonstrate what the future of sustainable neighbourhoods can look like in practice – combining low-carbon living with high-quality design and meaningful placemaking.’
The proposals also include a community pavilion, constructed from recycled materials, including a reused agricultural shed frame.
Tate + Co’s low-carbon homes feature timber cladding at upper levels and red brick at lower levels, in a design that ‘references the vernacular of Knutsford’ and ‘brings a new identity and character to the development’, according to design documents.
Crown Estate head of strategic land Rob Chesworth said: ‘Across the country, we need to find new ways to deliver homes and communities that are affordable, sustainable and sensitive to the local area.
‘This is exactly what our proposals in Knutsford are seeking to provide. By working together with the local community and exploring the relationship between innovation, affordability and nature, we can shape a template for future housing not only in Knutsford, but throughout the UK.’
Tate + Co’s submitted Knutsford proposals, credit Tate + Co