Neighbourhood Masterplan by AECOM for Heathfield Enhancement

AECOM has been commissioned, using grants funded by local government, to provide design support to  the Thriplow and Heathfield Neighbourhood Planning Group through the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities funded Neighbourhood Planning Programme, led by Locality.

This document is intended to support Neighbourhood Plan policies that encourage high quality design. It includes analysis of character areas within the built-up part of the Heathfield and provides a series of recommendations, in masterplan form, to improve the public realm and overall appearance of Heathfield.

The ideas in the report can be used as a basis for further engagement with the local community. They do not in themselves constitute part of the Neighbourhood Plan. It is hoped that they will stimulate broader discussion about how the area can be improved for the benefit of all.
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This document comprises: 

• Contextual analysis of the settlement of Heathfield, highlighting key external features, such as connections, views and sensitive environmental features, that may influence the site wide constraints and opportunities of the public realm improvements proposed in the masterplan.
• Identification and analysis of different character areas within Heathfield, highlighting defining characteristics, such as architectural periods, building typologies, and street and parking approaches.  From this analysis, a series of constraints and opportunities are identified to inform an appropriate design response in the masterplan. 
• Neighbourhood masterplan for Heathfield suggesting and illustrating achievable design solutions in response to the previously identified constraints and opportunities. The design rationale focuses on the following themes which have been established by the Neighbourhood Planning Group through previous public consultation.

1.    Green space, biodiversity and sustainable connections
2.    Streets and parking
3.    Identity and unity
4.    Community facilities

• Next steps with a summary of the findings and outlined methods to move forward.

Masterplan pages 1-54

Masterplan pages 55-111