The proposal
Planning context
Diagnostic centre
Housing
Landscape
Highways
Drainage
Government planning rules mean Thurrock Council needs to maintain a five year supply of land for housing. However, Thurrock Council is failing its housing delivery test and can only demonstrate a 0.91 year supply of land for housing. As a result, Thurrock Council needs to find more land for housing.
The site at Land West of Romford Road has been assessed for years as part of Thurrock Council’s Local Plan process. In late 2023, Thurrock Council identified that this site has the potential to be a new neighbourhood.
In addition to a new GP surgery, Alumina propose to build a 6,000sqft diagnostic centre which would make it quicker and easier for Aveley residents to access the medical care they need.
The diagnostic centre has the potential to reduce waiting times, speed up diagnoses and save residents a longer trip to a larger hospital. Diagnostic centres commonly include services for CT and MRI scans, x-rays, ultrasounds, blood tests, and heart and lung checks.
Alumina’s proposal aims to deliver quality architecture with high environmental performance by adopting various passive design features and renewable technologies, reducing the building’s embodied carbon footprint as well as minimising energy use over the building’s lifetime.
The layout is complementary to the existing Kenningtons Estate, while introducing enhanced shared green spaces and improved local amenities.
The emerging material palette includes a mixture of light brick, red brick, clay tiles, natural timber and reconstituted stone.
The emerging housing mix comprises:
1-bedroom 62
2-bedroom 124
3-bedroom 200
4-bedroom 59
Nearly 10% of the homes proposed will be bungalows. 64% of the homes will be traditional houses while 29% will be flats.
In line with Thurrock Council’s planning policies, at least 35% of the homes will be classed as affordable.
This will include a mixture of homes for affordable rent and shared ownership.
The greening strategy for the site includes retention of all 21 existing trees and the planting of 179 new trees. Green corridors, integrated with rain gardens and parking areas, will also act as ecological routes. The existing hedgerow will be retained and 120m of new hedgerow will be planted.
Allotments are located close to homes in three locations, offering residents the opportunity to grow their own food.
Overall, the proposed masterplan and landscape design includes measures to achieve a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain on site.
The greening strategy for the site includes retention of all 21 existing trees and the planting of 179 new trees. Green corridors, integrated with rain gardens and parking areas, will also act as ecological routes. The existing hedgerow will be retained and 120m of new hedgerow will be planted.
Allotments are located close to homes in three locations, offering residents the opportunity to grow their own food.
Overall, the proposed masterplan and landscape design includes measures to achieve a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain on site.
Although the site is located in Flood Zone 1, at least risk of flooding, the design process is underpinned by a drainage strategy to carefully manage surface water runoff.
Sustainable urban drainage measures, including 5,600sqm of swales, attenuation ponds and permeable pavements, are designed to handle a 1 in 100 year storm event with an additional allowance for climate change.
The drainage strategy is designed in discussion with the Lead Local Flood Authority.