Background of our proposals
Land North-West of Preston Farm has received a draft allocation from Mole Valley District Council as an appropriate location for new homes and community facilities.
In 2020 and 2021, Mole Valley District Council consulted extensively with the public and key stakeholders on their draft Local Plan 2020-2033. In preparing the consultation material, Land North-West of Preston Farm was considered as a potential residential development site. It was concluded that the land which is currently classified as Green Belt was suitable for development, and so the site was included as a draft allocation for around 200 new homes and community facilities.
The Council decided to pause the Local Plan process in December 2022 before a final Plan was produced or adopted, and activity has yet to re-start. With this delay and the Council’s recent request for a further pause of the Local Plan process, we decided to continue working up a Outline Planning Application broadly in accordance with the policies of the draft Local Plan. We are aiming to submit the application to the Council in January 2024.
If you’d like to be kept updated on progress, please indicate your preference on our feedback form.
A net zero carbon development for Mole Valley
Key features
Around 200 new homes that are net zero carbon and energy efficient
40% affordable homes, helping young people onto the property ladder, families to afford a better home and older people to downsize
A brand-new community facility, flexible to a range of uses including for potential medical use
A high-quality children’s play area, including natural play and sensory elements
A country park with access to the lakes and new pathways for all of the community to enjoy
Three traveller pitches in line with local planning policy requirements
Protection of existing wildlife and at least 10% biodiversity net gain
Car parking provision, including EV charging points as standard
Speak to us about our proposals
Outside Tesco Express and Laytons Greengrocers
Friday 1 December, 1.00 – 5.00pm
59 High Street, Bookham, KT23 4AD
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Foyer of Leatherhead Leisure Centre
Saturday 2 December, 1.00 – 5.00pm
Guildford Rd, Fetcham, Leatherhead KT22 9AS
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We need your views
Preston Farm, Bookham
Share your feedback on our proposals by Friday 15 December 2023.
Draft site layout
Designed with the local community’s needs in mind to create a positive legacy for Bookham, our plans include:
*Site layout is a draft and subject to change.
Location
Sustainable homes, strong communities
We deliver sustainable, infrastructure-led communities and is an industry leader on biodiversity and the environment.
Efficient new homes
We lead the housebuilding industry in our approach to sustainability, saving residents money on bills while working hard to preserve the environment. All new homes will be net zero carbon in lifetime use, significantly reducing energy bills for consumers, while also tackling embodied carbon.
We use Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels alongside Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), which can both heat and cool the new homes. Our homes are designed to Passivhaus’ Space Heating standard, adopting a meticulous approach to design and construction methods to ensure minimal heat loss.
Further, we are developing solutions with major energy providers, to consider if homes can have guaranteed zero energy bills for a set period of time.
Boosting biodiversity
The construction of new homes presents a unique opportunity to integrate biodiversity-enhancing features that not only contribute to local ecosystems but also foster a harmonious relationship between humans and wildlife. As such, our carefully designed scheme will provide at least a 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG).
We’ll help nature flourish through carefully designed initiatives, considerate planting and other habitat features. This includes:
- Hedgehog highways, in fences providing freedom to roam gardens and natural foraging.
- Swift bricks, built directly into the walls to provide much-needed nesting spaces.
- Bat boxes, fitted to trees to help local ecosystems by controlling insect populations.
We have a great track record in bringing these initiatives to life, with our planning applications calculating on average 13.58% biodiversity net gain. At our Martingales development in Bookham, the Surrey Wildlife Trust’s ecology consultancy carried out an assessment predicting an impressive 41.38% biodiversity net gain.
Alongside the new homes, the wider country park will mean this restored space is opened up for the whole community to enjoy, including walks around the lakes and in green spaces, helping to bring people closer to nature.
Our Eddie & Ellie education outreach
We work with local primary schools through our well established ‘Eddie & Ellie the Ecologists’ initiative.
Born out of a genuine passion to equip local children with the knowledge and enjoyment of the nature and ecology around them, we carefully developed the fully funded programme in consultation with educational specialists to create a lasting impact.
Thanks to Eddie & Ellie, CIRIA awarded us the best Community Engagement Project as part of the Big Biodiversity Challenge awards
Building communities
We deliver infrastructure early in the construction programme. This means that existing Bookham residents can take advantage of the new community facilities we provide from the earliest stage, and new residents will have access to them soon after they move in.
An example of this is at Pease Pottage, where we delivered £7m of offsite highways works before residents moved in, and a £4.1m Primary School early in the delivery of the site.
A new community space or health care facility will be created at the heart of the new neighbourhood. We will work with the existing community to make sure the building is an asset for everyone to benefit from and which meets local needs.
We will also create a schools programme which promotes pathways to careers in planning and development for local schools and colleges.
Sustainable travel
All homes will have a fast electric vehicle charging point, but we also provide incentives for cycle ownership amongst our residents and the potential for electric car clubs, enabling residents to have easy access to a car without owning one.
The plans include new walking and cycling routes across the country park and will improve accessibility across Bookham with the new pedestrian connection onto Little Bookham Street.
About us
We are a Sussex-based developer employing over 250 people and several hundred additional local subcontractors throughout the south of England. We deliver sustainable, infrastructure-led communities and is an industry leader on biodiversity and the environment.
In 2022, we were confirmed as the ‘Best Construction & Engineering Company to Work For’ in the UK and have been recognised for our work with young people and veterans. Very recently, we were recognised in the prestigious ‘Best Places to Work 2023’ guide by The Sunday Times.
