Why a garden village is more than a housing estate

Welborne is a new community with 6,000 homes, four schools, a town and village centre and will eventually be home to about 15,000 people.

The idea for the garden village north, of Fareham in Hampshire, was first suggested in 2006.

The information centre and first show home will be opening to the public in May.

But when you're designing a whole new town, what do you have to consider?

Garden villages are new communities which include homes but are designed around green spaces and community facilities.

They try to create walkable neighbourhoods, with design features to favour pedestrians and cyclists.

The concept isn't new, architect Herbert Collins designed several estates in Southampton in the 1920s and 30s where houses had front gardens, the streets had verges and there were greens, ponds and trees.

Welborne's design teams have visited these areas and said they've shamelessly stolen design ideas.

John Beresford from Buckland group - who are the development company behind Welborne - says Herbert Collins' estates have "stood the test of time".

He adds: "Green spaces are so important in his designs and it's something we're adopting in Welborne.

"We have put the lakes, ponds and trees in first so they are well established before people move in."

When complete around 50% of the 377 hectare (931 acre) site will be public green space, including a central park and a woodland.

The town architect who has designed Welborne would argue absolutely not.

Ben Pentreath said he understands why the volume housebuilders are often accused of building ugly identical box homes.

He says Welborne will be different, although he is not scared of repetitive design of housing types.

"The reason new estates are often ugly is because the individual houses are ugly and you're building a lot of them.

"But no-one goes to Bath or Edinburgh and says these houses are all the same, I can't bear it. If you build beautiful houses, well proportioned, and you build a lot of them, you build a beautiful place".

The garden village concept means infrastructure is important.

Alongside the 6,000 homes are plans for four schools, (three primary and a secondary) and a village and town centre.

An operator has already been secured to operate a doctors surgery in Welborne.

Buckland development has said the first half of the village centre, with the healthcare, nursery and community hall will be complete by 2030 and the first primary school will open in September 2028.

But the developer is hoping the first residents move in to homes in June so there may be some pressure on Fareham and Wickham initially.

The developers have also helped to fund improvements to Junction 10 of the M27 to make it an all-moves junction which will aid traffic flows on the current A32.

The 700 houses in phase one are being built by a West Sussex house builder Thakeham.

They say the homes are energy efficient and sustainable with everyone having electric car charging points, low energy lighting and superior insulation.

The three bed homes start at £360,000 which is similar to new homes on sale on a new estate near Bishops Waltham.

30% of the housing has to be affordable, but architect Ben Pentreath says we won't know which house is privately owned and which is social housing.

"In the 1970s and 80s, social housing was built which looked different and that's created a visual stigma," he said.

"That won't happen here, we're using a initiative spearheaded by King Charles at Poundbury where affordable homes are "pepper-potted" throughout the whole development."

But, there is another thing worth knowing.

If you buy a house in Welborne, you commit to becoming a member of the Welborne Garden Village Trust.

There is a fee you pay annually towards upkeep of the public green spaces and if you have hedges, an extra cost to have them trimmed regularly.

There is also some restrictions on what you can do to your home to help maintain the initial design.

John Beresford, from Buckland Development, said: "We don't want people ripping out hedges or trees for a concrete driveway.

"We find people actually like having friendly rules so they're buying in an area that's governed and no-one can do something in the house next to them which is out of character with the area."

Alongside a show home the Welborne welcome centre opens on Early May bank holiday weekend.

It will have a first-of-its-kind immersion room, where visitors can experience the look and feel of future street scenes and the village centre that will be built over the next few years.

It's intended not just for potential residents but also for people who live in the area who want to come and find out more about the garden village.

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