Summer 2017
Issue 2
GA R D E N C I TY
BRIC K BY BRICK Establishing the UK’s first garden city for more than 100 years
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With the first tranche of homes already built, thousands more are planned
New communities are forged as first-time buyers flock to Ebbsfleet
Industry experts collaborate to bring the project forward, as the first school opens
A WHOLE NEW TAKE ON CITY LIVING, COMING SOON TO NORTHFLEET EMBANKMENT Keepmoat Homes, the UK’s leading partnership homebuilder, are creating an exciting new place to call home, on the banks of the River Thames. Part of the pioneering Ebbsfleet Garden City Project, that will transform Gravesham and Dartford, our Northfleet Embankment development will create a completely new way of living, close to the heart of the city.
About the development: • A great choice of 1 & 2 bedroom apartments and 2, 3 & 4 bedroom homes in a totally unique environment, on the site of the former Rosherville Gardens - a once famous Victorian tourist hotspot • The development will include a new primary school, retail outlets, a range of open landscaped areas, riverside play area and roof gardens • The development will have distinct areas including Waterfront with riverside promenade and Italian Garden district, all linked with a Heritage Trail and public art strategy.
Don’t miss out. Register your interest today. 01582 448300 Artists impressions are representative only.
EBBS FLEET GARDEN CI TY SUMMER 2017
CONTENTS
05–07 News Latest updates on housing, transport, leisure, retail and education projects
21-23
Out of the ground How is the EDC meeting its development targets?
08–11 Implementation Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC)'s Implementation Framework will help establish the garden city
13–15 Infrastructure New transport networks and electricity substations will drive and power the project
16–17 Building bridges A £12 million structure will link the park with the station and new routes are being created
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Thames Estuary The Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission looks to the garden city's future
18–19 Facts and figures
32–33 New schools
The Ebbsfleet Garden City project in numbers
The Cherry Orchard Primary Academy is the first junior school to open
26–27 Map Where are the key development sites located?
28–31 Projects
38 Growing communities Homes are one thing – but how is Ebbsfleet becoming a place that values community?
We track the progress of schemes across the area
Editorial director Siobhán Crozier Editor-in-chief James Wood Production manager Christopher Hazeldine Design Kate Monument Business development director Paul Gussar Business development manager Harry Seal Project manager Sue Mapara Subscriptions manager Simon Maxwell Managing director Toby Fox Cover image: Springhead Park homes by Countryside, photo by Paul Eccleston Images Brandon Baily, Countryside, Paul Eccleston, Highways England, Shutterstock / Bertl123, Simon Taylor, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, National Rail / Andrew Molyneux, Shutterstock / Howard Marsh, Shutterstock / Olga, Miller Hare, Keepmoat Homes / Cooper Baillie, Taylor Wimpey, Crossrail, Highways Agency, Mulholland Media Printed by Tradewinds Published by 3Fox International, London CR0 2AP, 020 7978 6840, 3foxinternational.com Subscriptions & feedback ebbsfleetgardencity.co.uk Produced in partnership with the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation © 2017 3Fox International Limited. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Ltd is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Ltd.
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EBBS F LE ET GA R DE N CITY NEWS
For the latest updates about the Ebbsfleet Garden City visit: ebbsfleetgardencity.co.uk
THEME PARK SCHEME ON TRACK London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), the company behind plans to build a 353-ha theme park in North Kent, is on track to submit a Development Consent Order (DCO) for the resort in November 2017.
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he £3.2 billion site, which is expected to open in 2023, will feature a theatre, cinema, music clubs, hotels, shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and up to 210,000sq m of indoor and outdoor space for events. A public consultation for the resort is to launch in early 2018. A licensing agreement with film studio Paramount was previously in place, which both parties mutually agreed to discontinue at the end of June. Humphrey Percy, CEO of LRCH, said: “We want to express our sincere thanks to the many members of the Paramount
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team who have worked with us since we took over the project in August 2013. “This announcement does not have an effect on the timing of our planned DCO submission in November 2017.” Earlier in the month, LRCH announced that it had reached a heads of terms agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to operate up to 4,000 guest rooms across a series of managed hotels that will form part of the planned resort. Percy said the agreement with IHG was “a key piece in our jigsaw puzzle of infrastructure operations, which sets an important standard for the resort”. Paul Spooner, interim chief executive at Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, speaking exclusively to Ebbsfleet Garden City magazine, said: “We welcome the progress being made on the masterplan and the planning application for the site,
and are confident of the commitment being shown by the promoters of the site. We are in close dialogue with them to see how it can bring benefits to the garden city. “There’s a lot of good work being done, but also still a lot to do to achieve our objectives, but we are sure we can get to a proposal that works for everyone.” Percy was appointed in February, taking over from former CEO, David Testa, alongside Mike Morrison, who was hired as chief financial officer, and Kevin Doyle, who was appointed district co-ordination officer. As a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, the future of the resort is decided upon by the secretary of state for communities and local government, bypassing the local authority. Up to 27,000 jobs could be created through the project.
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EBBS FLEET GARDEN CI TY N EWS
NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL OPENING Ebbsfleet Garden City’s first primary school is due to open in September 2017. Cherry Orchard Primary Academy, located at Castle Hill, is a new two-form primary academy for children aged 3–11. Each year will admit up to 60 children. Pupils will benefit from brand new facilities, a nursery for pre-school children, as well as a small centre for children with speech, communication and language needs. Initially taking children into reception, year 1 and year 2, the school will open fully once it has older year groups. The school is part of the Leigh Academies Trust, and will provide places for 420 students, 26 nursery children and 15 special needs pupils. Cherry Pips Nursery will also open in September 2017 for children aged three yearsplus, and will offer funded hours as well as full day care. On-site contractors, Kent-based construction company, WM Martin, confirmed that works were progressing well on-site, and that both internal and external works for the school were nearing completion.
BLUEWATER DUE TO EXPAND Bluewater shopping centre in Greenhithe was given the go-ahead to expand part of its offer at the end of April.
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artford Council’s development control board unanimously voted in favour to grant outline planning permission to extend the West Village, as well as five other parts of the centre. Bluewater’s owners will need to submit a full planning application before they can start work on site, and are understood to be entering into a section 106 agreement with the council to provide a ‘town centre mitigation payment’. This takes account of any potential detrimental impact on
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neighbouring towns as a result of the development. Robert Goodman, general manager at Bluewater, told KentOnline: “The proposals to evolve Bluewater are important to ensure it continues to provide its guests with a comprehensive and compelling offer. “They will also create up to 500 jobs during construction and 2,300 once complete.” As part of the expansion of the West Village section of the shopping centre, the adjacent town square and lake area would be reconfigured. The extension will give Bluewater more than 185,000sq m of retail space, making it the second biggest in the UK, after the intu Metrocentre in Gateshead.
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EBBS F LE ET GA R DE N CITY NEWS
FASTRACK BUS EXTENSION FOR EBBSFLEET As part of its commitment to delivering 5,100 homes by 2021, the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) is finalising plans to upgrade the Fastrack bus service currently serving Dartford and Gravesham. Speaking to the Gravesend Reporter, Paul Spooner, CEO of EDC, said: “The route has already been expanded to serve the Castle Hill development, but we want to make sure by 2021 we have the best
public transport infrastructure we can provide. It is understood that old, unused tunnels in the Eastern Quarry could be used to link the site to Bluewater. Spooner said: “The route has already been expanded to serve the Castle Hill development, but we want to make sure by 2021 we have the best public transport infrastructure we can provide.”
MORE HOMES IN THE OFFING Another 233 homes are to be built across two sites in Ebbsfleet Garden City.
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edrow is to build a further 191 homes, after the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation’s (EDC) planning committee approved new plans for Ebbsfleet Green. The housebuilder has outline consent for up to 950 homes on the site, along with a village centre, park, sports pitches, a hotel and a pub and primary school. Latest homes approved include 55 for shared ownership or allocated as affordable to rent, as well as planning permission for 1,093sq m of office space.
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The garden city’s first pub will open at Ebbsfleet Green before the end of the year. At the same meeting the EDC also approved plans for new homes at Clarion’s scheme at Castle Hill in Eastern Quarry. The housing association will build 42 homes for shared ownership or rent at an affordable rate. Castle Hill is one of the most advanced phases of the Ebbsfleet Garden City development, together with Springhead Park. In April, the EDC announced that construction on more than 600 homes had started in the last year, exceeding the organisation's targets.
Paul Spooner, interim chief excecutive of EDC, spoke of a “remarkable year”. “Much of the success of Ebbsfleet Garden City is down to its location and the rail link that can get you into central London in just 17 minutes and developers report that people from around Kent who work in London now see this as a prime destination in which to live, especially with the wide range of housing on offer,” he continued. “With our commitment to forward fund essential infrastructure, our development partners are confident of delivering 5,100 new homes in Ebbsfleet Garden City by 2021 as we head to the overall target of up to 15,000.”
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EBBS FLEET GARDEN CI TY I M P LEMENTATION F RAM EW OR K
Green days –
A focus of development in Ebbsfleet Garden City will be on the creation of open spaces, such as in Castle Hill.
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EBBS F LE ET GA R DE N CITY I MP LEME NTAT I O N F RAM EWOR K
GARDENERS’ WORLD It is an ambitious development taking in multiple governing bodies, developers and landowners. But the so-called Implementation Framework for Ebbsfleet Garden City is keeping things on track, says Ebbsfleet Development Corporations’ interim CEO Paul Spooner BY N OE L L A P I O KI VL E H A N
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uality and momentum are words that pepper Paul Spooner’s conversation when he talks about Ebbsfleet Garden City. Spooner is interim chief executive of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC), set up in 2015 to coordinate investment and drive forward development through the Implementation Framework of the garden city: providing the context in which other masterplans have been or are being developed. Ebbsfleet Garden City is an ambitious plan that will be 15 years in the making. Two borough councils, Gravesham and Dartford, and Kent County Council, along with EDC, are pulling together with private developers and landowners, to create an environmentally friendly city. It will include seven new parks, 15,000 homes in eight urban villages, and public infrastructure on 1,026ha of largely vacant, former quarry land. A major commercial centre will also be established around Ebbsfleet International station, with workspace, retail and leisure
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opportunities, creating jobs and serving the local community – 30,000 new jobs will come on stream in the whole of the garden city. And it is clear that Spooner is keen to emphasise the word ‘city’. “We are creating landscape and topography of interest: we are very definitely creating a city, not a suburb,” he says. “We are providing the ingredients for landowners and developers to create an attractive city centre offer.” The project was announced by George Osborne, then chancellor of the exchequer, in March 2014. Spooner has brought a passionate will for the project to succeed since taking over from his predecessor. So how is development shaping up? “Am I excited? Yes, I am. I’m very excited that we now have a good story to tell. “We have a strong, small professional team working hand in glove with the developers, landowners and local community to make the garden city a reality.” 9
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Progress report
Infrastructure
“On-site we have seven housebuilders which will create 1,500 homes,” enthuses Spooner. Among those are developer Redrow, building 180 homes at Ebbsfleet Green; Countryside making headway on 123 properties at Springhead Park, while Keepmoat Homes plans more than 600 units at Northfleet Embankment East. Spooner says: “In 2016 and 2017, work on more than 600 homes began and over 300 were completed. After no development the year before, there is now a lot underway. We have got other developers bringing forward sites for planning consent or determination later this year.” Spooner adds that the homes under construction will form the first major phase of the project and are due for completion by 2021. “We expect more than 5,100 homes to be built and we are on target to achieve that.” Ebbsfleet Development Corporation is working with Gravesham and Dartford councils on smaller development sites. “We will unlock them with new infrastructure and help provide planning and advice to the councils to get those sites brought forward,” says Spooner. The first phase of development will not just be residential: “We are looking at the same time, to bring forward the major development of the city centre, which will include commercial, residential, leisure and educational uses at the heart of the garden city around Ebbsfleet International station,” Spooner explains. “We clearly have a strong momentum for development, and good market interest.”
New pedestrian bridges and walk and cycle ways will connect Swanscombe, Northfleet and Greenhithe with the rest of the garden city, as the eight urban villages are established alongside existing communities. Last July, a £12 million pedestrian and vehicle bridge was approved, linking Springhead Park with Ebbsfleet International station. Meanwhile, there is hope that the Crossrail line, to open completely in 2019, linking Reading in the west through central London to Shenfield in the east, will be eventually extended to Ebbsfleet. (see pages 13-15)
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Living for the city —
With 15,000 homes being created in eight urban villages, wellbeing of residents will be prioritised with the provision of green space (top left). Plans for the project (above and above right) can be viewed in the station concourse at Ebbsfleet International (above left) and are being overseen by interim chief executive Paul Spooner (above right).
Ebbsfleet Central Described as “the beating heart of the garden city”, the 45,000sq m commercial centre, to be built around Ebbsfleet International station, will connect residents with central London in 17 minutes and Paris in two hours. The goal is for Ebbsfleet Central to become a magnet for research and development, as well as new business, education, leisure and recreation. “We are talking to investors and potential occupiers all the time about bringing forward their investment,” says Spooner. “We have a number of ongoing negotiations with everybody, from universities to health bodies to private sector investors, development companies, businesses who are used to working with enterprises – small-mediumenterprises – to attract a business environment here.” S U MMER
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MAIN DEVELOPMENT AREAS: SITE 1: Eastern Quarry: 6,250 new homes and 231,000sq m of non-residential floorspace
We expect more than 5,100 homes to be built and we are on target to achieve that PAUL S P O ONE R, IN T E RIM C HIE F E X E C U T I VE, E BB S F L E E T DE VE LOP ME N T C ORP OR AT I ON
Community Reaction from the local community to the garden city is important to Spooner. “It is a place, above all else, where we want to make people feel like they can benefit from living here, enjoying a high quality of life.” To achieve these goals, Spooner says there will be substantial investment in the environment. “There will be new parks and gardens. And we are creating new forms of public transport, new low carbon fleet of services, and new routes that will link-up some of the key assets such as the Bluewater shopping centre, the river front and the international station,” he says. Ninety per cent of Ebbsfleet Garden City residents will live within five minutes of a Fastrack stop. And feedback from residents and community organisations has been very positive. “They see the garden city as something they have been waiting for: it’s been a long time in gestation,” Spooner says. “Now development is underway, there’s energy and people are pleased to see something happening.” Spooner believes “there’s certainly an appetite for development”. “This is not an area characterised by any ‘NIMBYs’ [not in my back yard]. “There’s no sense that people don’t want development: they do, but they want it to be well-planned and of a high quality. “People want to make sure we are forward funding EBB SF L EE T
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the infrastructure that supports their lives with adequate provision of schools, health, community facilities, as well as housing – and the framework sets out clearly how we are going to provide that total infrastructure to support the garden city’s development.” A new primary school in Eastern Quarry, approved in March, is currently under construction and will open to pupils in September 2017. (see pages 32-33)
Funding The government has committed significant investment in Ebbsfleet Garden City; around £260 million. Spooner says: “This investment is really by way of a loan. What this means is that we will have to recover significant proportions of the investment and get a commercial return. Ebbsfleet Development Corporation is working on where it invests, such as forward funding the electricity developments – a new electricity substation. (see pages 13-15) “We recover the investment as people connect, as developers come along and connect to that power supply and pay the competitive price for the electricity provision,” says Spooner. “We are very much an invest and recovery authority. We are not a grant giving body. Our money is provided by the government, but it is a loan that is repaid. We are looking to invest government money wisely, commercially and show value for money. But, make sure we recover that investment.”
SITE 2: Ebbsfleet Green: 950 homes SITE 3: Ebbsfleet: up to 3,200 homes, 493,700sq m of employment floorspace and 163,740 sq m of hotels, leisure and retail SITE 4: Swanscombe Peninsula: 750,000sq m of leisure uses SITE 5: Northfleet Embankment West: up to 532 homes, 48,000sq m of employment floorspace and a mixed-use neighbourhood centre SITE 6: Northfleet Embankment East SITE 7: Bean Triangle - Green Belt designation Source: Ebbsfleet Garden City Development report, June 2015
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EBBS F LE ET GA R DE N CITY I N FRASTRUCTUR E
ON SWITCHED
Ambitious developments are built on solid infrastructure. Investment in utilities and plans for Ebbsfleet Garden City’s transport network are racing ahead, with Ebbsfleet Development Corporation at the helm BY N OE L L A P I O KI VL E H A N
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EBBS E GA RDEN FLEETCGARDEN ITY CI TY IMNASTERPLAN FRASTRUCTURE Power up —
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation will invest £30million in the provision of new electricity sub stations (below) as well as working with Southern Water on waste water utilities (far right).
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You can’t build a great building on a weak foundation. You must have a solid foundation if you’re going to have a strong superstructure.” While preached in church, the words of 20th Century American religious leader Gordon B Hinckley could easily be applied to the 21st Century behemoth development that is Ebbsfleet Garden City. A collaborative approach between several local authorities, a myriad of developers and a strong umbrella co-ordinator is crucial to the success of the project, with plans for seven new parks, 15,000 homes and a new city centre on 1,026ha of largely vacant, former quarry land. (see pages 8-11) The players are in place, but the catalyst holding together this huge development is infrastructure. Whether it is transport – with ease of travel by car, bus, rail, foot and bike being considered – schools, community buildings, medical surgeries, electricity supply or managing 14
We are putting in our first phase of green corridors to provide access to the green areas and to link up the different neighbourhoods. PAUL S P O ONE R, IN T E RIM C HIE F E X E C U T I VE, E BB S F L E E T DE VE LOP ME N T C ORP OR A R T I ON
waste water, these elements will determine the project’s success. Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) is the scheme’s umbrella coordinator. Set up in 2015, its aim is overseeing investment and driving forward development. Paul Spooner, EDC’s interim chief executive, says: “We have got approval now as a development corporation to forward fund some key areas of infrastructure to support the garden city’s overall development.” EDC’s latest announcement to invest £30 million to fund the provision of new electricity sub stations and connections that will supply 15,000 homes and a new city centre over the next 15 years, was hugely significant. Quite simply, Spooner says: “By 2019, we would run out of electricity provision [for the building of garden city]. “The temporary provisions we had only had a short life so the idea is to make sure that it is to capacity for the whole of the garden city from 2019.” S U MMER
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Lean and green —
Network Rail is looking at ways to speed up trains (left) between London and counties to its east. Green space (centre) is a key element of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation’s plans for the garden city.
This is the first time a public body has invested in this way to help unlock development: the money will be claimed back through an agreement reached with UK Power Networks where developers pay for the electricity they need.
Powering ahead With the electricity sub-station funding now in place, next on the agenda for utilities infrastructure is dealing with waste water. Working with Southern Water on the forward funding of treatment provision, ahead of plan, Spooner says: “We want to make sure we have adequate utilities for the whole of the Garden City development – electricity is part of that, and the same applies for waste water.” Progress has also been made on implementing effective connectivity options. Says Spooner: “We have approval for new highway infrastructure, which is being designed to introduce connectivity around the garden city, and we are putting in our first EBB SF L EE T
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phase of green corridors to provide access to the green areas, which will in turn link up the different neighbourhoods.” Other proposals which will benefit Ebbsfleet’s connectivity include plans currently being finalised for a major upgrade of the Fastrack bus service currently serving Dartford and Gravesham. The route has already been expanded to serve one of Ebbsfleet Garden City’s key development sites in Castle Hill (see page 21). But the EDC is aiming for further expansion of exclusive bus-only lanes. The ambition is that once the project is complete, 90% of residents will live within five minutes of a Fastrack stop. Crystal ball-gazing, there is also hope the Crossrail line, linking Shenfield in the east through central London to Reading in the west, set to open completely in 2019, will eventually be extended to Ebbsfleet. And in March, Network Rail published the Draft Kent Route Study, which sets out the strategic vision for the railway lines between
Kent and London over the next 30 years. The report looked at ways to meet projected passenger growth on HS1 services. One option is to lengthen more trains to 12-cars to accommodate Ebbsfleet Garden City residents. It is a complicated picture, but headway is being made. Transport is crucial, but developers are also keenly aware that utilities are just as important for future residents. Undoubtedly the primary focus of this huge investment in infrastructure is getting developer confidence to build and invest in the garden city. But, in reality, it is also about getting confidence from the garden city’s future occupants, without which all the development would be fruitless. Spooner says: “There has to be confidence from the people looking to buy the homes, who are ultimately driving the garden city development. It is about how the consumer feels about the area.” “All those things help to make the garden city viable and deliverable.” 15
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PAVING THE
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EBBS F LE ET GA R DE N CITY BU I L DING BRIDG ES
PAVING THE
WAY Creating connected spaces and pleasant routes to travel on are integral to boosting Ebbsfleet Garden City’s presence as the area develops
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previously no-go areas around the current site. The organisation trains long-term unemployed people and recovering addicts – as well as exoffenders and disabled people – as multi-skilled volunteer gardeners: one of the major projects the teams have been tackling in recent months is the clean-up of the Church Path. The area was well-used by locals as a quick journey to the shops and transport links at The Hill, but some residents hated walking through the dark and dingy route. Gary May, founder of No Walls Gardens, explains how his talented group of volunteer gardeners completely transformed the path into a pleasant walking route. “Before our work, the path was overgrown, graffitied, and the surface was prone to mud and puddles, unsuitable for the elderly or people with pushchairs or young children,” he says. “We laid a durable, flat surface, painted over the walls, and cleared back the vegetation, providing a route which is now bright, clean, safe, and usable by the whole community.” The organisation looks set to keep working with developers to transform the former industrial area into a lush spot where residents will want to walk down pretty paths and through inviting edible gardens. May says: “We have been talking with Ebbsfleet Development Corporation about the walking routes, and we are all keen to open up the green pathways to make the area accessible, beautiful, and safe for all.” © Miller Hare Limited 2008
ne of the central ways to make sure Ebbsfleet Garden City becomes a well-connected community haven is to invest in top-notch transport infrastructure. And with cash injections for a raft of projects, the new town is gearing up for clever connections that will crisscross this swathe of Kent. A new £12 million bridge has already been given the go-ahead. The high-speed connection will link Springhead Park with transport hub, Ebbsfleet International station. As well as two lanes allowing cars to travel between two currently remote spots, planners have pledged dedicated space on the bridge for cyclists and pedestrians. The new route will reduce the walk from Springhead Park to the station by almost 20 minutes. Once the bridge is complete, residents will be able to walk to the station in eight minutes. And it is not the only plan to boost connectivity. Planners have also given the go-ahead to a £3.4 million project to create safe cycling and walking routes throughout Ebbsfleet. The scheme includes replacing the run-down pedestrian bridge at Church Path Pit. This is currently the only link for residents from The Seven Avenues to Northfleet High Street, but developers want to get rid of the existing caged bridge shape to create a bright and modern design. Guerrilla gardening group No Walls Gardens have already been working to transform what were
[The] route is now bright, clean, safe, and usable by the whole community G A RY M AY, F O UNDE R, N O WA L L S G A RDE NS
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EBBS FLEET GARDEN CI TY FACTS & FIGURES
UNDER STARTERS ORDERS
Work is now underway on the ambitious Ebbsfleet Garden City, starting the timer ticking towards completion. The numbers speak for themselves The site’s first primary school at Castle Hill, will open in September and will be operated by the Leigh Academies Trust
Nearby shopping behemoth, Bluewater, is 20 years old this year. It has 330 stores, three anchor stores, 40 cafes and restaurants and a 13-screen cinema 18
600 homes started in 2016/17 with over
300 completed
YEARS since Ebbsfleet Development Corporation – overseeing the Implementation Framework – was established
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the 73-mile east to west rail line will have been 10 years in construction when completed in 2019. The Ebbsfleet Development Corporation is lobbying hard to get an extension to Crossrail at Ebbsfleet
EBBSFLEET GARDEN CITY:
15-YEAR TIMELINE TO DELIVER 15,000 NEW HOMESÂ
40,000
THE MOST WANTED CONNECTION IS CROSSRAIL:
new residents will take up homes in Ebbsfleet Garden City
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DEVELOPERS NOW ON-SITE
58,000 homes and 59,000 jobs: the numbers Thames Gateway Kent Partnership estimates could be created in the North Kent part of the Gateway alone, over the next few decades
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EBBSFLEET GARDEN CITY
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Springhead Road, Ebbsfleet Garden City, Kent, DA11 8JH Image depicts a typical Countryside home. Image includes optional upgrades at an additional cost. Prices correct a time of going to press. *Terms and conditions apply. Contact us for further details. More information can be found on www.helptobuy.gov.uk. †Rail journey times are taken from www.nationalrail.co.uk and www.eurostar.com. August 2017.
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EBBS F LE ET GA R DE N CITY O UT O F THE G R OUND
HOME EXTENSION
With more than 1,000 hectares for 15,000 homes, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation was formed to press ahead with delivery of the first garden city in over 100 years. Pace – gradual at first – is picking up rapidly, with predictions being exceeded and homes snapped up BY S I OBH Á N C ROZ IE R
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ome sections of the media have readers believe Ebbsfleet Garden City is more pie in the sky than blue sky thinking. But the reality is of targets smashed. By April 2017, work on more than 600 homes had begun in the last year, where only 60 were under construction in the previous year. Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) was established to help speed up the delivery of homes. It oversaw 614 homes being built in the 2016-2017 financial year, with planning consent in place for hundreds more. The EDC secured £310 million of government funding for infrastructure to support the new villages of the garden city – allowing developers to push ahead with their schemes. The EDC is confident its partners will be able to deliver 5,100 new homes by 2021, towards a total of up to 15,000 units when the project is complete. Developers report that new homes have been popular with local buyers, who have used the government’s Help to Buy scheme in up to 90% of purchases. At different locations around Ebbsfleet Garden City, starts and completions have been taking place, creating neighbourhoods where new communities are being established. In a mixed-tenure development at Eastern Quarry, Persimmon is building 170 homes, with 125 affordable units by Clarion Housing; both have seen brisk take-up as homes are released to the market. Barratt Homes is building 112 units, with the first 42 released and sold by the end of March. At the entrance to Ebbsfleet Green, located just off the A2, the garden city’s first pub is being built by Marston’s and expected to open in October. The Spring Tide will be a family friendly, 220-cover pub with a carvery and 104-bedroom hotel. Redrow has planning consent for 950 family homes on the former Northfleet West substation site, now being transformed into Ebbsfleet Green. Rachael Baillie, sales director for Redrow Homes (South East), says: “The response from purchasers has been phenomenal. There’s a huge demand for new homes, with people keen to be part of the new community. Help to Buy has made a massive difference to our customers as the vast majority are young professionals, in their 20s or 30s, buying their first home.” 22
Full house — Creating family homes will be key to establishing Ebbsfleet Garden City. Traditional brick facades with modern interiors at Redrow Homes’ schemes such as Ebbsfleet Green (above) and The Oxford (above right) are beginning to see ambitions for the project come to fruition.
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The response from purchases has been phenomenal. There’s a huge demand for new homes, with people keen to be a part of the community R AC H A E L B A IL L IE, S A L E S DIRE C T OR F OR RE DROW H O ME S
The new village centre at Ebbsfleet Green will feature a primary school, a park with sports pitches and tennis courts, allotments, a shop and a community hall, as well as the pub and hotel. The development includes 240 affordable units and Redrow’s Section 106 contribution will support local facilities, transport infrastructure and health and education provision. At Springhead Park, Countryside Properties is building its latest phase of 123 apartments and houses and reports excellent sales. In response to interest, the developer opened two new show homes in May. Ebbsfleet’s first primary school, Cherry Orchard Primary Academy, will open in September, just 18 months after being given planning permission. (see pages 32-33) Paul Spooner, interim chief executive of the EDC, says: “This has been a truly remarkable year for the garden city as we have exceeded the 600 target for the number of starts on new homes. “Much of the success of Ebbsfleet Garden City is down to its location and the rail link that can get you into central London in just 17 minutes. “Developers report that people from around Kent who EBB SF L EE T
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work in London now see it as a prime destination to live. “With our commitment to forward fund essential infrastructure, our development partners are confident of delivering 5,100 new homes by 2021, as we head to the overall target of up to 15,000.” “Since the launch we have experienced a high volume of sales as a result of affordable homes in a desirable location for many local buyers, as well as those wanting a commutable location due to our close proximity with Ebbsfleet International Station,” says Iain McPherson, managing director of Countryside’s New Homes and Communities South region. “Springhead Park provides exceptional quality housing within an already established community. With the expansion of Eastgate Community Centre, a new primary school coming to the development and the new bridge link to Ebbsfleet International, Springhead Park provides the perfect location for those looking to get on or move up the property ladder.” In a scheme at Castle Hill, Eastern Quarry, Clarion Housing Group – formed following the merger of Affinity Sutton and Circle Housing Group – was given permission to build 42 two to four-bedroom homes, all for shared ownership or affordable rent. The first properties by Latimer at Castle View were snapped up within hours of being launched in March. Early in 2018 Latimer, Clarion’s new brand for private and shared ownership homes, will release the next phase of one and two-bedroom homes and over the next five years. It will make available 300 shared ownership units at Castle Hill. Every major regeneration scheme takes years in the making and few are as huge and complex as Ebbsfleet Garden City. But nascent communities are coming together, where homes, schools, commercial space and infrastructure are coming out of the ground. 23
Developing the Garden City Henley Camland is thrilled to be involved in building a new community at Eastern Quarry – we are focused on creating great places where people are proud to live. Henley Camland was formed in 2015 as a joint venture partnership, combining the financial expertise and resource of private equity firm Henley Investments with the knowledge and strong track record and purchase structures and placemaking of Camland Developments. Specialists in delivering serviced residential development land, one half of the Partnership, Camland Developments, is already managing the
infrastructure for the first phase of the Eastern Quarry known as Castle Hill. An integral part of Ebbsfleet Garden City, the whole Eastern Quarry scheme has outline planning permission for up to 6,250 residential units and is comprised of three ‘villages’ situated across 1,000 acres of former quarry land. Henley Camland has agreed to acquire and prepare the land for two of these villages.
Providing Serviced Land for Development Set among the quality landscape framework provided by Henley Camland, this new development will see a range of up to 4,600 private and affordable homes from first time apartments to five-bed detached family homes added to the exciting new community at Eastern Quarry, only 17 minutes away by train from London’s St Pancras Station. A new infrastructure programme will create a network of roads, bus routes and cycle-ways. Work on the new site’s infrastructure is expected to start later this year, with the first houses anticipated to be completed in Summer 2019. There will also be up to 50,000sqft of community facilities, including two primary schools, one secondary academy, an adult
learning centre, neighbourhood retail, and leisure and community facilities. This will be set around an impressive and beautiful public square, which will be at the heart of the development, together with two scenic lakes set to the south. A network of parks and green space will be connected by footpaths and cycleways to the rest of the site and the wider Garden City, emphasising the healthy living credentials that Ebbsfleet will deliver through the ‘Healthy New Town’ programme. We are excited to be bringing this scheme forward in collaboration with the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation and other public stakeholders, and are already in advanced discussions with housebuilders to deliver the different sizes and styles of new homes.
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PROJECTS NORTH FLE ET E MBANK MENT WEST Up to 532 residential units, 48,000sq m of commercial space, 850sq m of retail and 1,000sq m for a health centre are planned for the area that takes in Britannia Refined Metals in the west and to the AEI in the east. Ebbsfleet Development Corporation’s planning committee has approved Lafarge’s planning application for the scheme, putting it ontrack for delivery.
This summer, residents started to move into their new homes KE RRY O ’DRI S C OL L , DIRE C T OR OF M A J OR P RO JE C T S A ND PA R T NE R S HIP S, C L A RI ON H O U S IN G GRO UP
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N O RTH F L E E T E M BA N K M E N T E AST Developer Keepmoat Homes has plans for more than 600 properties at Northfleet Embankment East. The development comes on the back of the £3.4 million scheme to improve pedestrian and cycle links around the area, which got the goahead at the end of last year. The area is in mixed ownership between Kimberly Clark, Stema
Shipping, Lidl and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). As part of the work to bring the embankment up to development standards, HCA put into effect raising works on the eastern side of the site, where a residential quarter is planned, and has demolished five buildings to help with proposals.
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EAST ER N QUAR RY As one of Ebbsfleet Garden City’s main redevelopment sites, all eyes are on anything that happens in Eastern Quarry, as planning permission is set to be brought forward toward the end of summer to kick-off development. Paul Spooner, interim chief executive with Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, the body overseeing the overall development of Ebbsfleet Garden City, says: “We have got other developers bringing forward sites for planning consent or planning determination later this year, so Eastern Quarry will sit as a variation on the current outline consent for recommendation to our committee in August.” Last April, two thirds of the site earmarked for development and made up of three villages: Castle Hill, Alkerden and Western Cross – were sold by Land Securities to private equity firm Henley Investments, and
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infrastructure specialist Camland. Camland has capacity to build 4,700 homes, while the third of the land retained by LandSec could see another 1,500 created. It was three years ago, in 2013, that outline planning consent for the area was granted to LandSec and Camland for up to 6,250 new homes. The consent also included 120sq m of office space, 26,000sq m of retail, 11,000sq m of hotels, 50,000sq m of leisure or social infrastructure. The first primary school in Ebbsfleet Garden City, called Cherry Orchard Primary Academy (see pages 32-33), will be operated by Leigh Academies Trust. Students will start at the facility in September 2017. LandSec was the developer for the school and worked with architect Lee Evans Partnership. Also in 2016, LandSec exchanged contracts with Taylor Wimpey in April
for more residential development. David Bradley, senior planning manager for Taylor Wimpey South East, said: “We are planning a total of 539 homes, which are all marketed with affordable housing to be delivered in separate parcels, and are seeking to deliver these across three parcels or permissions.” Clarion Housing Group has also started on construction at Castle Hill, with some units already reserved. “In April 2017, we received planning permission for a further 42 affordable homes, taking the total number of homes being built by Clarion Housing Group at Ebbsfleet Garden City to 167,” said Kerry O’Driscoll, director of major projects and partnerships for Clarion Housing Group. “Work on the initial 125 homes is progressing very well and this summer the first residents started to move in to their new homes.”
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SPRINGHEAD Q UA RTE R Work is continuing at Springhead Quarter, formerly referred to as Ebbsfleet Valley, where Countryside has started building 123 homes at Springhead Park, which in turn forms a part of Springhead Quarter. A completion date has been earmarked for 2019. Last September (2016), the developer launched a range of two, three and four-bedroom homes. In total, Springhead Park will feature 800 homes around the 1ha Central Park when the project is complete, two years from now.
It was before the announcement of the creation of the garden city in 2014 that outline permission was granted for Springhead Park in four separate quarters in different stages, from 2002 to 2009. Areas earmarked for development include Station Quarter North and South in Dartford borough and Springhead Park and Northfleet Rise in the borough of Gravesham. In total, Springhead Quarter will deliver 3,384 homes, 493,700sq m of commercial space and 310,420sq m reserved for schools.
EBBSFL EE T GREEN Work has started at Ebbsfleet Green, with developer Redrow on-site to build 180 of 950 homes granted planning permission in 2014. The plans include 339sq m of space for retail, 920sq m for leisure, 5,000sq m for a hotel, 358sq m for a community hall, and 1,400sq m for a primary school. The first phase of homes at this development – called Abode at Ebbsfleet Green, Southfleet Road – have now all been sold, with residents having taken up occupation. A twobedroom apartment costs an average of £270,000 and a three-bedroom semi-detached house is £420,000. Adding to the green element of the site will be a new local park – woodland already exists. The next phase of the development, which will include the hotel and a pub and restaurant, is due to open in September 2017.
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SWA N S C O M B E PENINSULA For Springhead Quarter, 3,384 homes, 493,700sq m of commercial space and 310,420sq m reserved for schools are planned
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In July, the company planning to build a theme park at Swanscombe Peninsula reached a Memorandum of Understanding with Port of Tilbury London, to use the port and its facilities as the main site for storage, loading, discharge and barge operations. When completed in around 2022, the 353ha theme park at Swanscombe Peninsula will be twice the size of the Olympic Park. Already being likened to Disneyland Paris, the £3.2 billion scheme by London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), and bank-rolled by Kuwati firm KEH Group, has been planned since 2012. But in June, LRCH split from the Hollywood studio Paramount that was included in the resort’s name – the facility was originally to be called the London Paramount Entertainment Resort. At the time of going to press, the theme park is to be called London Resort. It was believed the resort’s developers and the film studio have been unable to agree terms on some of the rights to major films, and image rights for some of Paramount’s biggest stars. The resort does, however, already have
agreements to use the intellectual property of the BBC and Aardman Animations – makers of the Wallace and Gromit films. Both LRCH and the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, which oversees the development for Ebbsfleet Garden City, are not concerned about this turn of events. LRCH says it will still be submitting plans in November – it already has an agreed masterplan in place. LRCH, which hopes to attract 50,000 people a day to the theme park, already has around 900 companies registered as having an interest in investing in the park. Paul Spooner, interim chief executive of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, said: “We fully support the work being done by [LRCH]. Plans are developing and there are numerous benefits this fantastic new leisure resort will bring to the garden city.” Before the Paramount split, the resort was set to offer attractions from an indoor water park, theatres, cinemas and 5,000 hotel rooms. It will create around 30,000 jobs. Clearly, if the scheme goes ahead, there will be significant impacts – not only on residential and commercial development at the Swanscombe Peninsula, but on the area as a whole. Developer Lafarge was granted outline planning in February 2016 for 110 homes at Craylands Street.
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SCHOOL STARTER The first primary school in Ebbsfleet is light, airy and about to open. Ebbsfleet Garden City speaks to the headteacher and the architect to find out what kind of school they are creating for the new garden city BY S A R A H HE RBE R T
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The Cherry Orchard Primary Academy (far left) has been designed with students’ (left) needs in mind, with a focus on natural light and good acoustics.
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t the heart of the burgeoning Ebbsfleet community, Cherry Orchard Primary Academy – not only the first primary school in the garden city but its first civic building – is on track to open in September 2017. New principal Julie Forsythe can’t wait. “Once we get in with the keys, we’ve got one week to prepare the school, decorate the classrooms and make it look like home to our new children.” And it’s not just a school – the building will also include a community centre on the same site, to become a popular hub for the already close-knit community moving into the area. Says Forsythe: “Cherry Orchard is right in the middle of the shops, as well as the fast track and other transport routes, so I know it will be popular.”
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Ultimately, the school will be a two-form entry school for 420 pupils, though it’s starting off just trying to fill reception, and year 1 and 2. Facilities will include a centre for children with speech, communication and language needs, plus a nursery for children from age three. The unit will be the only one of its kind in the area, although the school will work closely with other experts in the Leigh Academies Trust, which has several schools around the borough of Dartford. “The unit will have its own couple of classrooms, plus breakout and therapy rooms for individual or group work, and its own playground,” says Forsythe. “This physical position reflects the inclusive model of provision, teaching children in mainstream classrooms, fully integrated with the school, but with immediate access to help when needed.” Central to the school’s success will be its design. The building is striking, modern, and filled with light. As architect Lee Evans Partnership puts it: “It has been designed to navigate the existing topography of the site, while maintaining a clear and cognitive layout, suited to modern teaching and social requirements.” From a practical point of view, the design has to strike a balance between letting lots of daylight gets in, while ensuring it does not heat up in summer too much due to the glazing. Especially important to this school, with its special provision, was the acoustics. As Forsythe says: “Despite its lovely high ceilings, nowhere is at all echoey or loud, which would hinder children’s ability to hear and learn.” 33
EBBS FLEET GARDEN CI TY THAMES ESTUARY
K EEPING ON TRACK While the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission ponders the prospects and opportunities for Kent in the coming decades, what part does Ebbsfleet Garden City play within that future? BY N OE L L A P I O KI VL E H A N
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ast year, former chancellor George Osborne made a significant statement about the future of Kent when he announced the establishment of the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission. Osborne drafted ex-government minister, Lord Michael Heseltine, to head up a board of 17, including himself, with big players in the development world such as chairman and founder of Foster + Partners, Lord Norman Foster; chairman and chief executive of Canary Wharf Group Sir George Iacobescu and Lord Adonis, chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission. It may be an illustrious panel, but it will have to be more than distinguished. The commission is tasked with developing an ambitious vision and delivery plan for North Kent, South Essex and East London up to 2050. It is estimated by the Thames Gateway Kent Partnership that North Kent alone could see 58,000 homes and 59,000 jobs created. There is also a remit to regenerate the economy on both sides of the Thames and foster closer ties with London. The former chancellor explained how the commission “will focus on supporting the development of high productivity clusters in specific locations. It will examine how the area can develop, attract and retain skilled workers. It will also look at how to make the most of opportunities from planned infrastructure such as the Lower Thames Crossing.”
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Ebbsfleet is a major interchange opportunity, as well as a growth hub to support the Thames Estuary Commission’s ambitions PAUL S P O ONE R, IN T E RIM C HIE F E X E C U T I VE, E BB S F L E E T DE VE LOP ME N T C ORP OR AT I ON
Ideas are currently being asked for from all interested parties, with the commission pledging a “clear and affordable delivery plan for achieving this vision” in the Autumn Statement 2016. Areas identified as economic drivers, include DP World London Gateway Port, Port of Tilbury, North Kent Innovation Zone, Basildon town centre and "enterprise corridor", Canvey Gateway, Southend Airport, developments in Medway and Swale directly on the estuary and planned growth of key sectors such as creative and cultural industries. And, of course, Ebbsfleet Garden City. For Paul Spooner, appointed in 2016 as interim chief executive of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) – set up to co-ordinate the framework for developing the garden city over the next 15 years – the benefits it will bring to the region are huge. He says: “We see Ebbsfleet and the garden city as providing one of the major growth hubs and growth opportunities within [the commission’s] vision and doing so, supporting the growth of London.” Spooner adds: “People who work in London need 36
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Extending Crossrail (pictured, previous page) to Ebbsfleet is supported by the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation. Building bridges – The Dartford Crossing (above top) is currently the only crossing of the River Thames east of London. Highways England has recommended a new lower Thames road crossing (above centre), east of Gravesend and Tilbury.
homes and many can’t afford to live in London. Businesses in Canary Wharf, or the West End need to have skilled workers, professional and support workers. The tourism sector needs people working with hospitality skills. “Clearly, we see Ebbsfleet as an opportunity not only to provide the labour market, but with Crossrail [potentially] coming to Ebbsfleet, that would access the labour supply and people in this area and also provide an opportunity for people to connect within the rest of Kent.” Spooner concludes: “We have a view that Ebbsfleet is a major interchange opportunity, as well as a growth hub to support the Thames Estuary Commission’s ambitions.”
Calls for Crossrail With 10 years of construction work already completed, Crossrail is London’s long awaited, most needed and most wanted new 73-mile-long rail line. From 2019, when the entire Elizabeth line on Crossrail opens, travel around London will be faster – and easier – for millions. But those left without the line, on its periphery, will miss out on a 21st century transport connection running east S U MMER
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from Shenfield and Abbey Wood though the heart of the capital, out west to Reading, would do for their area: ease of access, increased property investment and development are some of the knock-on effects already. And this is the position the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation finds itself in. The body aims to turn former quarries into a brand new, environmentally friendly urban areas and is very keen for Crossrail at Ebbsfleet. “[There is the strong] business case for Crossrail being extended out to Ebbsfleet to serve the whole Kent area. "This could have enormous growth benefits, not only for this area but to support the growth of London and Heathrow.” Spooner and EDC’s campaign for Crossrail in Ebbsfleet could become a reality. In March, Network Rail’s published the Draft Kent Route Study, which sets out the strategic vision for the future of the railway lines between Kent and London over the next 30 years. Part of the report looks at ways to meet the projected passenger growth on HS1 services, with one option being EBB SF L EE T
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Economic power — Facilities such as Southend Airport (terminal pictured, far left) and the DP World London Gateway Port (above) will contribute to driving the economy of Ebbsfleet Garden City.
the lengthening of more trains to 12 cars to accommodate Ebbsfleet Garden City residents. More crucially however, for EDC, the report states that an extension of Crossrail/Elizabeth Line services from Abbey Wood towards Gravesend has been identified as an option and work to understand its potential to support growth is currently under way. According to a summary of the corporation's report: “The study says along with new track and railway systems; new and replacement structures would also be required along the route. This is likely to involve extensive redesign of existing railway infrastructure around Slade Green depot, junctions near Crayford and Dartford station. There is also an opportunity to align the extension for a better interchange between mainline and high-speed services at Ebbsfleet International.” The downside is the extension, if accepted, is anticipated to take up to 10 years to design and build and cost around £1.5 billion. But, for Spooner, who is patiently overseeing the project, this would be a wait worth enduring. 37
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REAC HI N G OU T As Ebbsfleet Garden City moves from development site to functioning destination, there is an opportunity to create a place that values the importance of community from the start BY RU T H M c KE E
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uilding a sense of community spirit from scratch is something to which Penny Marsh has devoted her professional career. Working as a pioneer minister for the South East Baptist Association means Marsh has valuable experience of forging new connections between neighbours who might not otherwise meet. Marsh is one of the community figures aiming to make the new town of Ebbsfleet Garden City a welcoming and family friendly environment – and her own experiences have taught her why it is so important to forge connections when living in new developments. “I used to live in new build housing in London’s docklands,” Marsh tells Ebbsfleet Garden City. “It could feel a little soulless at times. I was living in a new development with two young kids and so I know exactly what it feels like to live somewhere that can be lonely and isolated.” But the intrepid minister took matters into her own hands. Rather than accept the situation, Marsh set about creating a string of 38
Gradually, we all began to chat to our neighbours, to know what was going on locally P E NNY M A R S H , MINIS T E R FOR T HE S O U T H E A S T B AP T IS T A S S O C I AT ION
community projects to change the atmosphere of the neighbourhood. “To foster a sense of community, I set up a small church and a community project which then became a charity aimed at helping community cohesion. And gradually, we all began to chat to our neighbours, to know what was going on locally.” Marsh is determined to bring these expertise to her work on the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation’s planning committee, to make sure the community flourishes. “We have already developed a welcome pack for Ebbsfleet with details of local amenities,
groups, churches, and one of the things we are looking to do in future is to expand that welcome pack as the community grows,” she explains. Being an experienced community cohesion campaigner, Marsh feels she instinctively knows what a new development needs to help the community thrive. “The way I think of it is: children need places to play out, teenagers need places to hang out and adults need places to go out. “In the docklands, there was lots of provision for little children but nobody had thought about putting something in for teenagers,” she says. Marsh believes a multi-use community centre would be a good start: “It would be great if the planners could maybe think about a centre that faith groups and community groups can use,” she says. “It could have classes for older people, and childcare as well as a youth club element.” To help the new garden city bloom, Marsh believes having a strong community spirit at its core will be an imperative. S U MMER
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NATIONAL INFLUENCE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Barton Willmore is the UK’s leading planning and design consultancy with 12 offices nationwide. Established in 1936, we’ve been in Kent for over 30 years, and relocated to our home in Ebbsfleet in 2010 – just after the opening of HS1. From our office overlooking Ebbsfleet Garden City, we are now watching the fruits of the past 20 years come to life. We have been working with landowners since the 1990s, and continue to work with developers and stakeholders in delivering the Garden City and are proud to see it growing in front of us. Our highly experienced team offer a fully integrated planning and design approach bringing a strong understanding of the opportunities and barriers to development in Ebbsfleet, locally within the South East, and Nationally. We provide commercial and innovative solutions to help you gain approval for your development proposals, maximising and adding real value from your investments.
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Ebbsfleet Green
Southfleet Road, Ebbsfleet DA10 0BE Open daily, 10am - 5.30pm Call: 01322 387113 Visit: redrow.co.uk/ebbsfleetgreen Information is taken from crossrail.co.uk and is correct at time of publication. Source: TfL/Crossrail. Images typical of Redrow homes. Details correct at time of going to press.