We are excited to announce that Origin3, acting on behalf of the Ptarmigan and Bloor Homes at the Staplegrove West Garden Community, has been shortlisted in the Royal Town Planning Institute South West Awards for Planning Excellence, in the “Best Plan” category for 2023.
We are delighted that the work to secure an approved masterplan for the creation of two Integrated Constructed Wetlands at Longfield and Nailsbourne, near Taunton, has been recognised – creating a nutrient neutral solution to phosphates issues affecting the wider area. As well as our clients Ptarmigan and Bloor Homes, we worked closely with Stantec and Somerset West and Taunton Council (now part of Somerset Council) to coordinate the work to set out a detailed masterplan for the creation of the Wetlands areas.
The Staplegrove West Garden Community is an important element of the Taunton Garden Town Vision, which aims to ensure that the growth and future change of the town follows key principles to empower communities and create great places to live. However, the delivery of the Vision is in jeopardy from the phosphate issues affecting the Somerset Moors and Levels Ramsar site, for which solutions must be found.
Ptarmigan, Origin3 and Stantec worked hard to develop a solution based around the creation of semi-natural wetlands areas at Nailsbourne and Longfield. These areas replicate the natural wetland habitats of the Levels, contributing to increased biodiversity, creating a carbon sink and creating areas of nature recovery. They will also trap significant amounts of phosphates every year, sufficient to offset the impacts of at least 750 new homes. The team worked with the Planners at Somerset West and Taunton to ensure that local communities understood what was to be done and why, to find ways to amplify the positive effects of the Wetlands for the environment and to link strongly to the Garden Town themes.
The lessons learned from this project are now being used to create further areas of Wetlands in the Taunton area to support the delivery of more Garden Communities and are beginning to be rolled out to other parts of the country affected by nutrient neutrality issues. Securing one of the first consents for these Wetlands in the country has been a fantastic experience for everyone involved. We are lucky to have worked with superb colleagues; Gemma Nelmes at Stantec and Simon Fox MRTPI at Somerset Council, and with forward thinking clients; Craig Neilson at Ptarmigan and Mike Kerton at Bloor Homes. More details of the project can be found here RTPI | Awards for Planning Excellence and by contacting Richard Grant at Origin3 on 0117 980 4900 or emailing Richard@origin3.co.uk.
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