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FOURFIELDS

fourfields, Broxbourne

The new proposals form a Reserved Matters Application for 15 new homes and associated landscape on a 0.49ha site, recently submitted for Planning in April 2022. These Reserved Matters address an earlier Outline Planning consent from 2015. R-LA lead the Masterplan design which allowed priority to be given to nature-based SuDS features.

Formally the site of Fourfields care home, in Cheshunt. The site has gentle falls from the western boundary to the southeast, although the existing buildings do cut into the landscape creating steep banks to the northern boundary and a flatter central area. The underlying soil structure has a low rate of permeability and currently there are no SuDS features. Stormwater run-off discharges into Rags Brook, which is located about 15m to the south, flowing in a west-east direction.

Naturalistic SuDS features were considered at the start of the design process, which began with an extensive assessment of the relationship of the site with its surrounding environment and urban context. The outcome was the immediate production of a very early sketch design revolving around a strong nature-based SuDS strategy. The design development was achieved through a coordination of multidisciplinary teams, with early involvement of each discipline focusing towards achieving the same cohesive goal.

DETAILS

Client: Herts Living Ltd

Architect and Co-Lead - Mace Group
Drainage Engineers - Price & Myers
P lanning Consultants - Turley
Arboricultralist -Treework Environmental Practice
Ecologist - ELMAW Consulting
T ransport Engineer - TTP Consulting

Status: Planning April 2022

Awards:
Winner Ciria susdrain 2022 SuDS Award

Category: Early Housing Schemes not yet Completed but with a Firm Commitment to Deliver and Maintain High-Quality SuDS

Aerial View Fourfields

Aerial view of existing site

The site is predominantly hard paved areas of footpaths and a carpark to the main entrance, with margins of mown grass, evergreen shrubs, and some mature trees. There is little in the way of ecology or biodiversity, and no SuDS strategy.

SUSTAINABLE URBAN DRAINAGE

In collaboration with Price & Myers the following SuDS Components were developed for the scheme:

Communal Areas
• No.5 Communal Rain Gardens
• SuDSTree Pit within Hard Landscape.
• Exceedance and Flow Paths to Soft Landscape
• Permeable Paving (vehicular and pedestrian)

Private Arena
• No.15 Roof RWP Bioretention Planters
• No.15 Roof RWP Water Butts (300L units)
• No.15 Green Roofs on Refuse Stores
• No.15 Green Roofs on Cycle Stores.

CARBON IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

The tables shown below were produced using the Pathfinder calculator by Climate Positive Design. 
The study shows that, with a considered approach, the proposed development can achieve 
climate-positive status within 35 years.

Carbon Capture Fourfields