More case studies and features from RUDI's recent publication PLACEmaking can be accessed online in pdf format, or from the case studies or features menus. For a printed copy, please order here

Large scale development inevitably takes time to implement. Hampton is not programmed for completion until 2016, 25 years after the original application was submitted. Considerable additional planning and masterplanning work has been necessary over the last 15 years to ensure development on the ground responds in the best way possible to changing agendas.'

At the TCPA EcoTowns Conference in December 2007, Sir Peter Hall quoted Hampton as being one of three best practice examples of large scale, mixed use development in the UK. The first dwelling at Hampton was constructed in 1996, and homes have been delivered at the rate of 500 per annum since 2003. O&H Properties is the master developer, with David Lock Associates as planners and masterplanners.

A long term approach

From a developers' perspective, one of the critical issues relating to this scale of development is the need to take a long term approach. In relation to cashflow, this means putting aside the need for a favourable yearly balance sheet in favour of adopting a ‘long term value' approach to returns on investment: an approach adopted by O&H at Hampton.

Many developers find this very difficult to do, as most have shareholders to satisfy and annual profits to secure. Land remediation and strategic infrastructure provision - not insignificant on a 1,000-hectare former brickworks site - meant that the first land sale did not happen at Hampton until three years after the grant of outline consent.

This meant three years of the developer funding advance works without the benefit of any land receipts. Meanwhile, costs incurred in s106 obligations (such as schools and highways) could not be postponed merely because the site needed remediation.

The long-term nature of development at this scale has implications for ongoing developer involvement, staffing and resources. Adopting the role of ‘master developer' - similar to the role of the New Town Development Corporations in terms of delivering common primary infrastructure, schools and open spaces - is necessary to ensure a high quality of development over time.

O&H has appointed a General Manager to oversee the on-site development of Hampton, with a dedicated implementation team based at new offices within the site, recognising that their involvement is required - and does not diminish - during the 20-year project. The s106 agreement required the local planning authority to dedicate a planning officer to work exclusively on Hampton for the duration of the project - this is now expanded and a team of several officers now spend a significant proportion of their time working on Hampton.

Meeting changing policy agendas

Large scale development inevitably takes time to implement. Hampton is not programmed for completion until 2016, 25 years after the original application was submitted. Considerable additional planning and masterplanning work has been necessary over the last 15 years to ensure development on the ground responds in the best way possible to changing agendas.

At Hampton, the practical consequences of policy changes since 1993 - PPG/PPS3 and density, PPS25 and flood risk, changes to the EIA Regulations; not to mention several rounds of RSS, Structure and Local Plan and now the emerging LDF - has led to, amongst others, the preparation and approval of new outline applications for an additional 3,000 homes on the same site area; revised development and design briefs, applications to vary the s106 obligations; a revised surface water strategy and a new transport model.

Community engagement

Early provision of community facilities is an essential part of generating a sense of community for new places that often have no existing resident population. However, it is extremely difficult to predict the needs of the community over the long term, and the plethora of agencies involved - together with their varied and ever-changing funding and management regimes - has meant that whilst the s106 obligations have been fulfilled in terms of land provision at Hampton, few facilities to date have been delivered on site.

Schools at Hampton provide the focus for some community activity, but current proposals for a multi-use community building - although welcomed by all as the best way forward - are still proving difficult to move from concept to reality. It is becoming clear that planning for (and delivering) appropriate community facilities is a lengthy process which needs a ‘champion' to make it happen.

At Hampton, the emergence of a community ‘champion' - or group of people willing to lead the resident community in its endeavours - has not been forthcoming. Ironically, the key reason for this appears to be O&H's continuing day-to-day involvement and commitment: the company still manages and maintains common land and buildings, has a constant presence on site and holds monthly meetings with the residents' association and the Council to help resolve residents' complaints. O&H has effectively taken on the role of a Hampton Parish Council, which unfortunately means that there is currently no impetus for the residents to galvanise themselves into action.

The most valuable ‘community asset' to date at Hampton was the introduction of a Hampton community police officer from the time of the first resident on site. Based in a temporary community building, the officer was a very visible and approachable central point of contact for residents and community groups in addition to policing the area for crime. However, because of the resultant low crime levels in Hampton, the officer has since been redeployed elsewhere in the city. One key facility which the Hampton community feel is lacking is a local pub. This would provide a welcome meeting place and a central community focus. It is only now that Hampton is half complete that the first neighbourhood pub is being progressed.

The physical environment

As Hampton reaches the halfway stage, we are exploring ways in which the development can continue to evolve and adapt to meet current agendas. The quality of the environment at Hampton has always been paramount. From the designated 120 hectare Special Area for Conservation for Great Crested Newts, managed by O&H, to the hundreds of hectares of lakes within the four neighbourhoods, the physical environment underpins the character of the four neighbourhoods and has had a positive influence on the layout and design of built development.

We are now exploring ways in which the physical environment can also assist in redressing some of the social issues currently being experienced across the UK. As part of its continuing environmental work at Hampton, O&H runs a regular environment forum with some of the UK's leading thinkers on environmental issues.

Initiatives currently being considered including helping to combat obesity through adopting Active Design principles - a concept generated by Sport England and David Lock Associates - into neighbourhood design ; encouraging ‘free range children' who would rather play outdoors in all weathers than sit inside in front of the computer screen or TV; and encouraging adults to spend more of their leisure time outdoors, and thereby increasing contact and interaction with other members of their community.

Delivering a quality public realm

Much has been written about the process of obtaining planning consent for large scale development, and the mechanisms employed to ensure that development on the ground reflects the original ‘vision'. The drafting of lengthy and detailed Design and Access Statements, development briefs and design codes - whilst all ticking the right boxes - cannot guarantee high quality development on the ground.

Experience at Hampton suggests that the use of development and design briefs has led to the delivery of a high quality public realm and development layouts which for the most part reflect best practice in urban design. However, the influence that can be exerted over architectural style has been limited, with volume housebuilders using their standard product (or a subtle variation of it) in detailed schemes.

Does this matter? In terms of the aesthetics of design - a somewhat subjective topic - many of us would agree that in general the new residential development we see in the UK does not do much to promote contemporary and attractive architectural design. But this in itself does not govern whether a new community is successful. It is design and layout at a neighbourhood scale, plus the quality and design of the public realm and delivery of appropriate facilities, that is critical to the successful function of a place.

Heather Pugh is Director, David Lock Associates
For more information on Active Design, visit:
www.sportengland.org/planning_active_design

A 'long-term value' approach is adopted by O&H at Hampton. This is very difficult to do for many developers, most of whom have shareholders to satisfy and year on year profits to secure

Be firm with service providers to commit to community projects from the outset - better to have facilities on site which might not be perfect than a concept on paper which is! Think about what makes a community work - could the provision of a local pub be a legitimate s106 consideration?

Explore opportunities for translating ‘standard' policy into imaginative and creative long term solutions - for example, provision of open space should include wild areas where children actually want to play and explore, not sterilised and over-engineered ‘safe' play areas.

Avoid prescriptive design codes and architectural specificity unless there are qualified and experienced planning officers to assess them - and the master developer is willing to prescribe architectural style to third parties. It is very rare that architectural style can be dictated and there are many other aspects more important when creating successful places.

Build in simple mechanisms for varying s106 agreements, triggers and conditions which will allow long term development to adapt to changing policy or practices without affecting delivery or necessitating new planning applications.

Commit time and resources to ongoing implementation - getting outline planning consent is the easy part.

For the .pdf file of this article, plesae click here

The quality of the environment at Hampton has always been paramount. From the designated 120 hectare special area for conservation for great crested newts, managed by O&H, to the hundreds of hectares of lakes within the four neighbourhoods, the physical environment underpins the character of the four neighbourhoods and has had a positive influence on the layout and design of built development