The government is currently looking for appropriate sites for a new generation of garden villages across the country. Huntingdonshire District Council has submitted an Expression of Interest to the government to explore a new garden village of 2,500 homes, plus employment land, a school, health services and shops at Sibson Aerodrome. The council has been working with the owners of the land at Sibson Aerodrome and the prospective developer, Larkfleet Homes.
The Expression of Interest means that the potential opportunities that a garden village might create need to be explored further. It is not a commitment to develop the site.
Daryl Kirkland, group land director at Larkfleet Homes, said: “We are excited about the opportunity at Sibson. The creation of a brand new village gives us the chance to build the infrastructure and community services that so often cannot be provided in smaller developments.
“A key feature of our plans for Sibson is to create housing that meets the needs of local people and can be reserved for them. We would include starter homes for young people who often can’t afford to live in the villages they were born in and bungalows or smaller houses for older people who don’t need the family home any more but want to continue to live in the neighbourhood.
“We share the government’s view that garden villages could make a significant contribution to solving the country’s housing crisis, providing attractive and accessible places for people to live and work. The creation of new settlements offers the opportunity to build infrastructure and services from the start and create sustainable, vibrant communities.”
A garden village at Sibson would include:
- 2,500 new homes including homes for older people, affordable homes and starter homes.
- Houses designed to match the heritage and style of neighbouring villages.
- Health and, potentially, care facilities.
- A new school for children between 5 and 16.
- Facilities and support services to promote and foster local employment and job creation.
- A new A1 junction.
- Potential enhanced rail links along the Nene Valley Railway.
- A traditional village high street, village green and market square.
- Sports facilities, allotments and areas of open space.
- Green infrastructure including avenues of trees, ponds, woods, orchards and wildlife enhancements.
- Renewable energy sources.
- A long-term locally run stewardship approach – a community owned and led organisation to manage the village in perpetuity.
A website with details of the Expression of Interest has been launched – www.sibsongardenvillage.com.
Larkfleet Homes will be holding public exhibitions at the Haycock Hotel, Wansford, from 2.15pm to 7pm on both 19 and 27 October to explain the thinking behind the plans in more detail and to listen to the views of local people. There will also be an on-line survey for people to offer thoughts and feedback – this will go live in the week of the exhibitions.
The government will announce which sites it has chosen as potential locations for garden villages later this year. If Sibson is selected, the council and Larkfleet Homes would then work closely with local people and businesses to develop the proposals in more detail and to address the issues and opportunities that have been identified. They would then decide whether to submit a formal planning application, potentially in late 2017.