Public Realm & Regeneration

Brooklands College

Project Details

Client
CALA Homes and Brooklands College
Location
Weybridge, Surrey
Year
2022-2023
Services
Landscape Architecture

Overview

Define provided Landscape Design, LVIA and Green Belt Appraisal services to support a planning application for Cala Homes and Brooklands College in Weybridge, Surrey.

The scheme will invest £45 million into the College and deliver new homes (including 128 affordable) for local families and a wide range of community benefits including a new Sports Centre, a Community Hub and public access to 12 hectares of woodland that was once part of the Locke King Estate.

The landscape will emphasise a harmonious coexistence between the existing college, woodlands, the mansion house gardens and the contemporary design of the housing development.

Our strategy

Careful consideration has been given to preserve the character and integrity of the mansion house and terraced landscape which was once the home of Dame Ethel Locke King; a pioneer of motorsport. Using historic photographs the terraced gardens will be restored back to the original arts and crafts style; a huge improvement on the existing car parks that they have sadly become.

Green spaces and pedestrian friendly pathways will intertwine the site, improving connections to Weybridge Town Centre and Train Station, Heathside School and the surrounding residential areas. The proposals seek to conserve the large existing woodlands that surround the site, opening them up to the public as a SANG and protect it in the future through a new woodland management regime.

Image courtesy of Cala Homes

Image courtesy of Cala Homes

The outcome

The result will be a thoughtfully crafted housing development in a parkland setting that celebrates the rich history of the site while offering a modern and inviting environment for the new community and existing surrounding neighbourhoods.

This was a fascinating project to be involved with, and a great example of how sensitively located and designed development can improve a local area and the lives of those who live there.

Project update

The development received planning approval from Elmbridge Borough Council’s Planning Committee in December 2023 and will likely be completed over a 2 year period.