Our Design Approach

Our designs have been developed to embrace the character and location of the site at the heart of Ascot High Street.

The team have carefully considered the local setting, in particular the trees.

The design proposals aim to reflect the quality village-feel that is expected in Ascot, with more than 30% of the site as public open space, and community, leisure and retail uses to benefit everyone.

There are two entrances to the site from the High Street and one from Station Hill.

Currently, the area is a mix of hard surfacing and grassed areas having been used as a car park associated with the racecourse located to the north of the High Street. It does include a large number of mature trees and we have prepared designs that show how we can retain as many as possible.

There are several amenities nearby that serve the existing community, including retail, food and hospitality businesses. It is our aim for the new development to complement and support local businesses, helping the area to thrive.

New Homes

The proposals will deliver new high-quality sustainable modern homes to support the local High Street economy. The new homes will be a mixture of apartments and houses, helping to create a diverse and vibrant local community in the heart of Ascot. 117 new homes will be provided.

Importantly, the development will include enhanced pedestrian and cycle routes, linking the site with the High Street and train station, making the homes some of the most well-connected and sustainable properties in Ascot.

In developing the proposals, the design team have sensitively researched the surrounding local architecture, ensuring an architectural style that will complement the local context.

The scale and height of the proposals have been carefully considered, taking into account daylight and sunlight analysis of the local context as well as a wide range of other design considerations.

Each home will have its own private balcony as well as access to a shared resident’s garden that will include a community hub and orchard, play areas, wildflower meadows, and a woodland buffer.

All homes will exceed current design standards for size, accessibility, open space and play space. These high standards have been designed with future residents in mind to help create a healthy and happy community.

Transport, Access and Parking

The new homes will have allocated car parking spaces and dedicated cycle storage. Car club spaces will also be provided.

A Car Park Management Plan will be prepared to provide full details on how the car parking spaces on site will be managed.

The current access from the High Street (via the white gates) will be for pedestrians and cyclists and closed off to vehicles, with the exception of emergency vehicle access.

The vehicular access via Station Hill will be retained for residents. We have also introduced controlled parking on Station Hill, to provide an additional 38 spaces for public use

Landscape and Trees

Celebrating the existing natural environment has been a key design ambition for the team, who have carefully developed the proposals in a way that further enhances the sites existing landscape character.

Retaining the green and leafy nature of the area is core to the approach.

Unfortunately, some of the existing trees will be lost, but any lost trees will be reused on site as play equipment or even bug hotels.

We will also offset this with new tree planting, enhancement of some of the existing trees and better accessibility for the whole community.

The improved accessibility will include providing connections to nature through trails, habitat discovery and bug hotels.

There will also be a community orchard and space for outdoor workshops.

New Public Outdoor Space

The proposals will provide new outdoor public spaces for both new and existing residents to enjoy together. We are proposing:

• A Community Park – a new park for Ascot with open areas of grass to sit and relax on
• A new High Street square providing a further area to sit, relax and chat, with scope for pop up market spaces
• Shops, cafes, restaurants and community uses
• 117 new sustainable homes

In creating a development to strengthen community spirit, the amenity space has been designed to be usable and accessible whilst also promoting nature and biodiversity. To achieve this, the proposed development includes a mix of tree planting and hard-landscape materials. To maximise sunlight, we have considered the way in which sunlight will reach the different spaces proposed at different times in the day.

A Mix of Uses

An important consideration of the design team has been ensuring that the new development is embedded into its local surroundings.

As an extension to the High Street, the proposals will create a diversity of spaces that can enable communities and commercial activities to thrive and grow. The proposed development will be a place for local artisan, creative industries and like-minded businesses to connect.

Mixed commercial floorspace (community / office / retail / café & restaurant / leisure) would be provided, fronting the High Street and market square.

HIGH STREET AREA

Our Approach to Sustainability

In terms of sustainability, the aim is to achieve a net-zero carbon development on site through a fabric first approach.

Nature and biodiversity are key to our approach.

20% of the new car parking spaces will have active EV charging facilities with provision for the remaining 80%.

The team have carefully considered local transport movements, integrating the new proposals within the existing road network to ensure convenience for the local community and importantly adding pedestrian and cycle connectivity, through the site from north to south and east to west.