Wealdcross: A Natural way of living at Buck Barn

Here at Thakeham we are responsible for creating great places. As a local award-winning community creator, it’s a responsibility we take very seriously.
Ad Feature by Thakeham Group
Published 1st Apr 2021, 11:33 BST
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Thakeham Group SUS-210104-100120001

Thakeham is based in Horsham District. Many of our staff are Horsham residents raising families in the area. We care passionately about Horsham District.

That’s why we want West Sussex County Times readers to be amongst the first to discover more about our exciting and unique plans for a stunning new community at Buck Barn, called Wealdcross.

You can see more and share your opinions here: www.wealdcross.com

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Thakeham Group SUS-210104-100107001

We believe that, for too long, the creation of places has just been about building houses. That has to change. Wealdcross isn’t about building houses. Wealdcross is about creating a place. It’s about creating a community. It’s about community values.

Thakeham has an industry-leading reputation for delivering on our promises.

The following pages include a few highlights of our vision for Wealdcross. It’s a sneak peek into how life will feel for residents in the new Wealdcross community.

Highlights include:

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Thakeham Group SUS-210104-100043001

- Enhancing the environment with 4.2 km of hedgerows as biodiversity corridors - a net 20% diversity gain

- 40% affordable housing for local people

- Reduced carbon emissions. All homes will be carbon neutral in production and carbon zero in lifetime use

- A range of off-site highway improvements including new northern access junction from the A24

- Electric fast car charging points for every home

- Thakeham will gift shops, a coffee shop, WeWork facilities and community allotments to the community

- A new secondary school, two new primary schools and a local centre with healthcare provision

- Thakeham will gift new indoor sports hall and mixed use 3G/4G pitches for schools and the local community

Let’s take a look.

Enhancing the Environment - 4.2km of hedgerows as biodiversity corridors and a 20% net gain in biodiversity

Thriving Thakeham communities already prove that housing doesn’t have to conflict with the environment. Far from it. It can enhance and work with the environment. The new green spaces at Wealdcross are thoughtfully integrated into the existing landscape, enhancing wildlife corridors, protecting ancient woodlands and adding 4.2km of hedgerows.

We will also create an inviting green framework for people to walk along mown pathways through wildflower meadows, or to cycle through the park. The landscape is not just for residents to enjoy all year round, it is also vital in providing food and shelter for a variety of wildlife.

Thakeham will continue to work with Wildlife Trusts and indeed anyone with a passion for the environment. We will transform an area which is intensively farmed, and increase biodiversity and habitats. We will protect the site’s ancient woodland, create hectares of new country parks, plant new trees and 4.2km of hedgerows as new biodiversity corridors. We are proud to have worked with the Wildlife Trusts and Surrey Wildlife Trust to develop a new biodiversity programme, with a development in Surrey being independently assessed to have delivered a 41.38% biodiversity net gain.

40% Affordable Housing for Local People

Wealdcross will deliver 40% affordable housing for local people. This is about giving young people the chance to achieve their dream of home ownership, for the families on the housing register aspiring for better accommodation, the homeless taking their first steps into secure housing, the opportunity for older people to downsize. Wealdcross will help deliver a mix of homes for everyone in Horsham District.

All homes will be carbon neutral in production and carbon zero in lifetime use

Thakeham are leading the charge towards net zero. We lead the HBF Future Homes Task Force, and at Wealdcross all homes will be carbon neutral in production and carbon zero in lifetime use. Thakeham are pioneers in zero carbon placemaking, sustainable transport, and offer electric fast car charging points on every home.

Reducing the impact on the environment has been an integral part of the vision for Wealdcross from day one. We look to reduce the Wealdcross carbon footprint in every aspect of its development, even in unexpected ways. A Wealdcross home will combine high levels of comfort and warmth with the highest environmental credentials.

A range of off-site highway improvements including new northern access junction from the A24

We are proposing a range of off-site highway improvements, up and down the A24. This includes a new northern access junction from the A24, serving as the main access to the site, together with a new southern access junction at Buck Barn as a secondary access, improving traffic flow on the A24. We are also looking at junction improvements from Washington, right up to the Great Daux roundabout on the A24, and all the junctions in between.

At our development at Woodgate, Pease Pottage we over-delivered £7 million of road improvements before completing the first houses, to ensure the road network was ready.

Electric fast car charging points for every home

As part of encouraging a sustainable future, all homes will have fast car charging points and we will provide a £3,000 incentive towards an electric car on house purchase, and further incentives for e-bikes too.

Wealdcross will also be the place for greener travel, with interlinking cycle routes and secure cycle storage for apartments and houses. There’s a pedestrian-friendly village centre, and the new primary and secondary schools on-site means car use is greatly reduced. When people want to travel further afield, Wealdcross is also being integrated into the local bus network.

Thakeham will gift shops, a coffee shop, WeWork facilities and community allotments to the community

Thakeham works with Plunkett Foundation, a charity of over 100 years, to enable the community to own and manage their own assets with no debt attached. At Wealdcross we will gift shops, a coffee shop, community WeWork facilities and allotments to the community. The WeWork facility will have desk space, meeting rooms and light touch laboratory space. New schools and sports facilities A school is also a focal point of any community.

A new secondary school, two new primary schools and a local centre with healthcare provision

Wealdcross includes a new secondary school, two new primary schools and a local centre with healthcare provision. Thakeham is currently building a £4m Primary School for the local community in Woodgate, Pease Pottage. This far exceeds the required £1.3 million mandatory contribution.

Thakeham will gift new indoor sports hall and mixed use 3G/4G pitches for schools and the local community

At Wealdcross, we will gift a new indoor sports hall and mixed use 3G/4G pitches for schools and the local community, together with a new country park and village green. Thakeham are proud to invest in sport locally and are the main sponsors of Horsham Rugby Club, Atlantis Swimming Club, Billingshurst Cricket Club, and a range of sports teams across Sussex.

Looking ahead, in 20 years’ time the trees will have grown taller and children will have grown up at Wealdcross, but our vision will have created a place that offers a truly rare quality of life.

Find out more and make your opinions count. www.wealdcross.com

Related topics:ThakehamHorsham District