News PRP’s plans for Ebbsfleet Garden City homes approved

PRP’s plans for Ebbsfleet Garden City homes approved

Press Releases

July 27, 2021

The green light has been given for a further 235 new homes, of which 25% will be for affordable housing tenures, in the new village of Ashmere within Ebbsfleet Garden City. The planning committee praised the design quality that has resulted from the successful collaboration between the consultant team, led by PRP architects, the applicant, a joint venture between Countryside Partnerships and Latimer, the development arm of Clarion Housing Group, and the local community and planning officers.

The committee commented that the proposals ‘set a new benchmark’ for the quality of schemes coming forward within Ebbsfleet.

The proposals draw from the character of the chalk cliff walls of the old quarry, within which the development will sit, to mark a new entrance into the village for a dedicated Fastrack bus route that links Ashmere to Bluewater in the west and Ebbsfleet International Station in the east. Around the periphery of the scheme the surrounding Kent landscape and rural farmland character has inspired a more informal edge to the new settlement that becomes more urban towards the centre of the village focussed around a new neighbourhood green.

Tree-lined streets, pocket parks, informal mews and farmstead-inspired shared spaces are designed with priority for pedestrians and cyclists over vehicles to promote a more sustainable, healthy lifestyle and give opportunity for neighbours to interact. It is hoped that this will nurture a stronger, sustainable new community that can live and work locally while also enjoying the ease of public transport connections to Bluewater, Ebbsfleet International Station and beyond.

Ben Williamson, Associate Director at PRP commented: "We are delighted to receive this endorsement of our proposals for the next phase of the new Garden City in Ebbsfleet. It has been a very positive collaborative effort that we hope will achieve our goal to deliver a diverse, characterful and sustainable new community within the new Garden City."

Andrew Usher, Managing Director, Partnerships South London, Countryside, commented: “This is another key stepping stone in our journey at Ashmere, as we curate a sustainable and closely-knit community in a flourishing area of Kent. Working closely with Latimer, we have no doubt that Ashmere will prosper, serving the needs of the community for generations to come.”

Richard Cook, Group Director of Development at Clarion Housing Group, said: “Working with like-minded partners who share our commitment to placemaking is at the heart of what we do. We’re excited to be working with Countryside and PRP to create a vibrant and thriving new neighbourhood at Ashmere.”