Great Oakley
Blending with the Village Context
Creating places people want to live
We are the architect for a development of 86 new homes on the edge of the village of Great Oakley in Essex. The scheme will provide a range of different house types, complementing to the organic growth of the existing village.
The accommodation is designed to meet high demand for housing in the area from individuals, couples, and families of different sizes. A number of community benefits have also been proposed.
Great Oakley is a historic village that has developed organically over time, resulting in a rich and varied street scape. Our design is influenced by the varied forms of existing buildings in the vicinity and applies them in a contemporary manner.
We have incorporated many of the materials used in the village, including entrance porches, exposed rafter feet, brickwork, clay tiles and strip boarding consisting of several pastel shades. Architectural features are referenced from the various mansarded, gabled and dormered building roofscapes.
The development includes improvements to the surrounding public and amenity space. A woodland walk will extend the full length of the site with resin bound gravel edged by planting with native species and incidental play features for children.
The scheme also includes an area of open space with a wildlife and flood attenuation pond and planting.
The space will support biodiversity, look scenic and encourage community interaction.A central ‘Mews’ has also been accommodated within the scheme with a raised table shared surface.
Whilst vehicles may enter and exit the treatment of this area defines it as primarily a space for people living there and will hopefully encourage neighbours to interact with one another.
A community hub will include parking, a community building and play area.
The play area is conceived as a series of outdoor rooms defined by robust but scenic planting. The first “room” contains a series of timber decks that can be played on, but also act as a place to sit for community events.
In another area, a space for older children includes a multi-functional play tower.
The community building includes a multi-purpose hall, changing rooms, kitchen and flexible meeting space.
The design is influenced by traditional agricultural Essex architecture.
At Great Oakley we have used a sensitive context-led design approach that we have often employed on our hospitality projects to create a scheme that blends seamlessly with the village and surrounding farmland and countryside.
- Client
- Great Oakley Development
- Location
- Essex, United Kingdom
- Status
- Planning consented 2023
- Uses
- Residential
- Size
- 86 homes
- Visuals
- Studio Moren
-
Grainger
Southampton, United Kingdom