Nansledan, Newquay

CONTEXT

Nansledan is a 218-hectare mixed-use, mixed-tenure, sustainable urban extension to Newquay. As a genuine walkable community, residents of Nansledan can meet their daily needs on foot, while also having strong physical connections with Newquay to bolster the town and its socio-economic performance.

Over time Nansledan will evolve into a community of more than 4,000 homes, with its own high street, school, public spaces, and other public facilities, helping to meet the future needs of Newquay in a complementary and sustainable way, and acting as a catalyst to strengthen the local economy. Phase 1 (now complete) contains 126 homes and Phases 2/3 (approaching completion) contains 297 homes. Five phases are currently under construction, others await approval or are in design development.

Nansledan is being shaped by a masterplan which integrates a mix of public spaces, street types and building types. The development is unmistakably urban in form, confident about density and height, with tightly enclosed public spaces which create a high-quality environment that encourages social interaction. Architecturally, the development draws upon local vernacular styles, capturing the spirit of Newquay’s urban fabric. Streets are designed as places primarily for people, not just conduits for the efficient movement of vehicles. A high priority is placed on the safety and needs of pedestrians and cyclists.

Nansledan has been designed to maximise tenure integration, and benefits from being a size and scale to accommodate every age of life: there are homes for families, couples, single people, older people, care homes and alms houses. Residents can live in the home that is right for them, trading up or downsizing when appropriate without ever having to leave their community and neighbourhood.

Nansledan is popular because the landowner is working closely with the local community, committed to meeting local needs identified through meaningful engagement of all stakeholders.

VISION

The long-term vision for Nansledan is key; this is a development that will take shape over decades thanks to the far-sighted approach of the Duchy of Cornwall and Cornwall Council.

The vision evolved through extensive public consultation culminating in an Enquiry by Design exercise hosted by The Prince’s Foundation in 2004. This sought the views of the existing local community on key issues to be addressed in the future development of Nansledan. Continued consultation with local interest groups, stakeholders, the local authority, and private individuals throughout the key stages of the development is vital part of the Duchy’s approach and aspiration to create an exemplary, sustainable extension to Newquay that is distinctively Cornish in character and tailored to the needs of the local community. Nansledan will closely relate in appearance and character to the wider town of Newquay.

The masterplan at Nansledan has been developed using a wide range of well-tested, sustainable traditional urban design principles overlaid with a contemporary view to how things will develop in terms of climate and energy use.

Traditionally designed and constructed houses have been proved to stand the test of time for hundreds of years. These buildings are intended therefore to be used in perpetuity. Traditional materials of the type used at Nansledan tend to age extremely well and can be said to look better as they age.

The objective of the street design for Nansledan is to create a connected, safe, and attractive environment that encourages people to use the public realm and so enriches the experience of living and working in the area. Generous footpaths, verges, and street tree planting help to create a new urban area with strong connections to adjoining districts and a network of greenways and open spaces providing access to the wider countryside beyond.

IMPACT

Nansledan is being designed and built to a set of environmental, social, and economic objectives, culminating in the Duchy’s aspiration to be net zero carbon by 2030. This will be achieved in several ways such as alternative construction technologies, more PV, and other renewable sources. The Duchy’s Zero Carbon Working Group have identified that some of the built homes exceed the RIBA 2030 carbon target.

Nansledan is helping to fix the local housing market gap. 30% of all housing is affordable, with low-cost rented and shared-ownership homes among owner-occupied properties, all to the same design and build quality. 25% of all homes will comply with M4(2) ‘Accessible and Adaptable’ standards, making them suitable for a wide range of occupants.

The tourist industry in Newquay is high-volume/low-spend and when tourists leave at the end of the summer the local economy is greatly impacted. As part of the strategy to make Nansledan economically and socially sustainable, a minimum of one employment space is provided per household. There is great interest for the small enterprise units from a broad range of businesses, and there are many other, more conventional employment opportunities.

The local resources and materials used have a low carbon footprint; they assist the local economy, reflect local identity, and meet sustainability objectives. This approach keeps traditional construction methods alive, and creates durable, low carbon, energy-efficient buildings. The proposals enhance the site’s biodiversity through the creation and appropriate management of habitats for wildlife, and the inclusion of protected species enhancement features within the development design.

The spoil is being spread within the hinterland as part of the Open Space Strategy sculpting outdoor spaces such as SANG, sports pitches, and equipped play. The Allotment strategy prescribes enclosed play area adjacent to allotments so parents can tend their vegetables while their children play close-by.

DELIVERABILITY

The Duchy has a Common Aspiration agreement with the 3 developer partners to ensure Nansledan is delivered in accordance with the masterplan, the Nansledan Design Manual, and supporting documents.
A suite of documents has been produced which were approved by Cornwall Council’s planning department: namely Sustainability Strategy; Street Design Character Statement; Green Infrastructure Strategy; Energy Strategy; Water Strategy; Food Strategy; Transport Principles; Pattern Book; and Building Code. These documents agreed the principles for the growth of the area.

Working together with the Duchy of Cornwall and Cornwall Council, we have assisted in securing a Local Development Order (LDO) for Nansledan. This is the largest LDO awarded in the country thus far. The Duchy now approve its own applications for development within Nansledan and will complete the 30-year masterplan under the LDO, significantly reducing the burden on the Council, while providing flexibility and efficiency to the Duchy.

The responsible use of resources has been a key component of Nansledan since its inception. The Nansledan Building Code and Sustainability Code, now enshrined in the Nansledan Design Manual, set out a hierarchy for the use of materials. Locally produced natural materials with low embodied energy and low environmental impact are used wherever possible, the appearance of which should be sympathetic to the character of Cornish vernacular architecture. Where this is not possible, the sequence of choice for resources is: Cornwall, South-West UK, UK, Europe. The Nansledan Design Manual not only controls the use of materials but also provides guidance on the character and design of streets and spaces, landscape, and ecology. The Design and Community Code gives confidence and guidance to owners and occupiers that any changes or extensions are regulated by the Duchy and must maintain the high standards.

WORTH NOTING

A Design Code has been produced for Nansledan which is closely followed by the whole team to guide the design throughout every aspect of the development. In the early stages of the project, a consortium was formed with the Duchy and house builders to ensure the scheme was delivered according to a shared vision. We are working collaboratively with other architects who are delivering groups of buildings within a street as part of a phase or sub-phase. This brings a richness of ideas within a street context and architectural variety within the guidance and constraints of the Design Code.

Nansledan is a sustainable extension to Newquay, tailored to meet local needs. The size and scale of the development provides opportunity to accommodate all age groups, life stage, and lifestyle with a variety of house types and tenures including low-cost rented and shared ownership homes placed throughout the site. This results in a tenure blind development with all homes designed to the same standard and quality. Streets are designed for people not cars to create a safe walking environment. The development supports active lifestyles and wellbeing being a walkable neighbourhood, where daily needs can be met on foot at the Mixed-Use Local Centres, and with plenty of access to green network of open spaces, SANG, community orchard and allotments.

There is an aim of one employment space per household with retail, small enterprise units and conventional employment opportunities. Super-fast broadband is available to all households which enables home working, further reducing vehicle trips and needless pollution.

Nansledan has been cited as an exemplar scheme by the MHCLG in the Building Better Building Beautiful Commission report, Planning For The Future white paper, the National Model Design Code, and reports produced by Knight Frank for the MHCLG.