Cooper's Edge

In 1999 Nicholas Pearson Associates (NPA) were appointed by Bovis Homes and Westbury Homes (now Persimmon Homes) as part of a team preparing an outline planning application for 1900 new homes, a new school, sports facilities and associated infrastructure, on a 70 hectare former airfield in Brockworth, Gloucestershire.

NPA coordinated an Environmental Statement (ES) and undertook an ecological assessment and landscape and visual impacts.  These presented significant issues:

- The site is located adjacent to the Cotswolds AONB, raising concern of visual impacts;
- Concern over impacts of recreational use on an adjacent to a wildflower meadow, (SSSI);
- Veteran oak trees within the site were of value to rare invertebrates and other wildlife; and
- Barn Owls (protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act) were found to be roosting and breeding and foraging within the site

Strategies to avoid and mitigate these effects were agreed with the developers, local planning authorities and Natural England under a Section 106 agreement and planning conditions, resulting in outline planning permission in 2005, avoiding a public inquiry. Detailed evidence by expert witnesses helped overcome objections to the draft site allocation at Local Plan Inquiry.

Ecological and landscape issues were fully addressed and incorporated into the masterplan, in strategies for open space and sustainable drainage, and in ongoing detailed infrastructure designs. The Wotton Brook, previously culverted, has been restored to an open watercourse on a new alignment.  New ponds have been created as sustainable drainage, incorporating reedbeds providing valuable wildlife habitats with recent otter sightings.

Seven main public open spaces within the masterplan have been proposed. Features include: a range of pitches and other recreational facilities, play areas for younger and older children, street tree planting, retained hedgerows and trees, substantial new planting, and a network of footways and cycleways.

Development commenced in 2006, since when Nicholas Pearson Associates have maintained a key role during construction, including monitoring, wardening, public liaison, and coordination of site works and management.