City & Country are a local business to Stansted, having based their head offices there for over 20 years, they are proud to have worked with the local community over the years as a local employer, award winning developer and charity supporter. Many of their staff live in Stansted and the surrounding towns and villages of Uttlesford.
For the last 20 plus years City & Country have focused on conversion of large heritage buildings, such as Balls Park in Hertford, St Michaels in Braintree and the Galleries in Brentwood. They also work further afield with King Edward VII Estate in Midhurst and sites in London, Bath & Bristol. In the last 10 years they have expanded into development of new homes in Essex, initially West Field at St Osyth, and more recently Manningtree Park in Lawford. Projects range from developments of 50 to 500 homes.
The early work on the conversion of historic buildings and their surrounding landscape has taught them to look very carefully at the heritage and context of a site and develop schemes that are rooted in the history of the area and respond positively to their surroundings. The business is family owned and employs more than 150 people.
The opportunity to develop land so close to their offices, where many of their staff live, is an opportunity to create a scheme that responds to the local character, area and culture in a positive way. They wish to set a new standard for exceptional design in Uttlesford. If the planning application is successful City & Country intend to deliver all of the new homes themselves, the scheme will be highly sustainable and provide much needed affordable and private housing for the area.
Consultant Team
City & Country have employed the Stirling prize winning architect Fielden Clegg Bradley Studio to design the village extensions in conjunction local landscape architects Dutch Landscape Studio. Stirling Prize-winning FCBStudios was founded to move architecture forward. That’s why, for over 40 years, they’ve been pushing boundaries in sustainable, democratic, and socially responsible design. By grounding everything they do in research and constantly seeking out fresh perspectives, they balance beauty and functionality in every space they create.
Dutch create spaces that delight, excite and enhance the experiences for all those who inhabit, work, learn or play among them. Their award winning team of talented designers focus on working alongside nature and reflecting it’s continual transition – creating better places for all.
Vision
The vision for these sites is to create distinctive, contemporary rural communities that are intrinsically connected to the unique landscape of Essex. These are not merely places to live, they are environments that celebrate local character, nurture a sense of community, and enrich both ecological and visual quality. Each development should respond thoughtfully to its surroundings, drawing inspiration from the history, natural features, and cultural identity of the area.
The proposals aim to be a trailblazer for modern rural housing which are defined here as clusters of homes surrounded by an immersive landscape.
Each new village extension should respond directly to the topography, orientation, and outlook of each of the sites.
The overall masterplan should actively create a series of appropriately scaled connected communities.
The character of the homes should be a contemporary interpretation of the Essex vernacular houses and farmsteads.
The historic character of Birchanger and Stansted and the surrounding villages should be expressed through the informality of the clusters of homes around lanes, greens and courts.
All areas should be pedestrian dominated with car parking located on plot within parking courts and yards.
This vision has been developed into a series of parameter plans and a design code that set out how the sites should be designed and what rules must be followed to ensure this vision is met.
