Summers Park Nominated for RTPI East of England Awards for Planning Excellence 2020

We are delighted that Summers Park, Lawford, which was successfully delivered by Rose Builders, has been shortlisted for the RTPI East of England Awards for Planning Excellence. This project has been shortlisted alongside just seven other projects within the East of England region.

The East of England Awards for Planning Excellence recognise the contributions made towards the creation of exceptional places that have improved the lives of those who live and work there.

Summers Park, Lawford is an exceptional new neighbourhood within this village that has delivered a great deal for the community and demonstrates the positive role that planning can have in shaping in lives. Nomination for this prestigious RTPI East of England Award is recognition of all the hard work that our planners and designers, Rose Builders and the community stakeholders have put into this development.

As a result of this constructive engagement, this development has had the following positive community and environmental benefits:

The increase to the playing field for the adjacent High School to give the school an ‘on site’ compliant size playing field for the benefit of all the pupils.
The ‘levelling up’ of the existing adjacent High School playing field, to provide a ‘level’ playing field providing resurfaced grass pitches to significantly improve the school’s sports facilities and provision for the pupils.
The provision of a Multi User Games Area for all weather use. This facility being provided for both school and community use out of school hours.
A coach park for the adjacent school to allow school buses delivering and collecting pupils to be dropped-off and picked-up in a purpose designed area providing a massive increase to the safety of the pupils and a corresponding reduction in the adjacent road congestion by removal of this traffic at peak times.
The delivery of 700 sqm of high-quality Class B1 office space at the heart of the development.
A 2.8 ha conservation and ‘green space’ area, landscaped together with planting scheme and an attenuation pond feature providing an increased opportunity for biodiversity, and in an adjacent area an extended playing field and a fully equipped playground.
A network of footpaths and cycleway to provide permeability from the existing developments to Manningtree Railway Station and town centre, and now providing the capability for both new and existing residents to avoid a heavily trafficked county road.
Social Housing - A unique way of addressing this element evolved to meet the local aspiration for good quality housing specifically for ‘young local people’ at affordable rents.

Our planning consultants provided the project leadership. This involved bringing the developer together with the local residents, the key stakeholders, infrastructure providers, the Parish Council, and the District Council through constructive engagement. This allowed everyone to come together to develop a shared vision for the site that will meet the needs and aspirations of the local community and ensure that the development will deliver lasting benefits to this rural community.

The resulting community vision has now been realised and resulted in a sustainable extension to the settlement that has really benefited this rural community.

We are now looking forward to RTPI East of England Awards for Planning Excellence 2020 on Thursday 19th November 2020.