Worting Park – A Landscape And Heritage Inspired New Community

Define were first instructed by Cala Homes (Thames) for this sensitive site on the edge of Basingstoke in early 2020. The site is within the wider Manydown allocation of ~3500 homes, but is also within the Worting Conservation Area and in the setting of Worting House, a Grade 2* Listed Building and as a result has a highly sensitive context.

The site had been promoted unsuccessfully for a number of years and we were asked to audit and establish a fresh approach for the site. Our concept was for a landscape and heritage inspired community, based on a restored walled garden forming a new community hub owned and managed (with assistance) by residents. This facility sits alongside the landowners legacy aspirations to provide a village hall and nursery within the community hub for the benefit of the existing village.

Working closely with heritage consultants we have promoted a suite of enhancements across the estate and structured the position of development to not be visible in key views where appreciation of the Listed Building and its setting.

Our concept established a number of conceptual layers that enabled all design decisions to respond to, and accentuate, the site’s landscape and heritage assets.

This exercise led to the preparation of a detailed planning application, alongside an extensive consultation exercise both with stakeholders and local people, working in partnership with a wider professional team involving GSA, HCUK, iTransport, RPS, JNP, Pro Vision and Pegasus.

The scheme for 104 dwellings, community hall, nursery and walled garden was permitted unanimously at planning committee in November 2023 and we are now working with Cala to help deliver what will be an exemplary addition to Worting.