Samares Nursery redeveloped a redundant site of horticultural glasshouses to create 200 new affordable homes for first-time buyers or for rent. The development is broken into a series of courtyards to create smaller neighbourhoods and intimate communities.

Each courtyard encircles communal gardens containing amenity lawn, mixed planting, and dedicated play equipment. The houses overlook these gardens as a focal point and this natural surveillance has contributed toward the development’s popularity with families.

In close proximity to local schools and amenities, the scheme prioritises the promotion of sustainable travel. 1km of new cycle/walking track has been installed amid a linear park flanking the site’s west boundary providing extension to the Eastern Cycle Network, and a direct connection to the adjacent residential developments of Le Squez and Clos Lempiere. Every housing courtyard has covered bicycle parking.

Samares sits between both built-up land and fields for agriculture. To compliment this transition the entire site is bordered by 6m+ wildlife corridor. This zone for nature contains areas protected against footfall, wildlife ponds and extensive planting including 150+ new trees. The walls and fences enclosing private garden spaces integrate gaps for wildlife passage. Several integrated bat and bird boxes have long proven a success for their intended inhabitants and the site continues to be managed and monitored for ecology.

The entire site employs a system of sustainable urban drainage and the housing courtyards are paved with permeable block paving in warm brindle tones. Pigmented macadam provides a durable cycle track and bound shredded rubber ensures a safe and robust surface to play areas.