The Barton Quarter: a vision for the future of UK housebuilding for historic site in Nottinghamshire

Monumental plans to pioneer the use of design excellence and sustainable place-making took a step forward today.

The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community have partnered with Farland Developments to create a new community in Chilwell, west of Nottingham on the former site of Barton Transport. The agreement between the PFBC, Farland and Bartons features a unique element which looks to secure high quality design and development on the site for the future.

Both Farland Developments, lead developers for the scheme, and the Prince’s Foundation have an ethos of using design to create a sense of place, with a passionate belief that well-designed, well-maintained and sustainable developments should all be crucial components of housebuilding. 'The proposal would see the development of a desirable, liveable and sustainable community.

Sharing this vision is renowned architectural and interior designer, Ben Pentreath. Ben has extensive experience in the design of new housing and has been appointed as the lead architect for the scheme.

‘The Barton Quarter’ masterplan, soon to be unveiled, brings alive the key principles of this unique partnership. It would see this pre-World War One, brownfield site redeveloped into around 300 carefully designed new homes, streets, facilities, and green space that embrace the heritage of Chilwell and Bartons to create a real sense of place.

The proposals will see the now largely unused site redeveloped into a place that the community can enjoy and admire. Three and a half miles from Nottingham city centre, the site has excellent transport links and local facilities, including a new Tramlink stop immediately opposite and an independent high street of shops on its doorstep.

Nicholas Tubbs, Chief Executive of Farland Developments said: “UK housebuilding seems to have lost its way. Unlike many house builders these days, we don’t simply propose to build new houses. We propose to build places. Places people want to live in, where communities can grow and thrive. Based on the traditional principles of place-making, our vision is to create beautiful houses and streets which rely as much on design, heritage and character as they do purpose.  

“The Barton Quarter will be a leading example of this vision. The masterplan is being designed to uphold the style and charm of the local architecture of Nottinghamshire, creating a community that is easily identifiable with the local area, effortlessly complementing its existing character.

“We are thoroughly delighted to be working with the Prince’s Foundation and Bartons in this unique partnership. We share the same values when it comes to development and it’s a pleasure to be creating this exceptional opportunity together. Celebrated architectural and interior designer, Ben Pentreath is also part of our project team to further ensure a beautiful and uniquely designed scheme”, Nicholas Tubbs added.

Ben Bolgar, Senior Director of The Prince’s Foundation is the creative mind behind the masterplanning. He commented:

“The Prince’s Foundation is pleased to be partnering with Farland Developments on this project. We share a vision of socially inclusive, higher quality developments that build harmonious and enduring communities.

“The Barton Quarter will aim to strike a good balance between upholding the site’s heritage and its redevelopment. It has so much history and character, it’s crucial to incorporate these elements into anything new that we build. From the style of building, to the materials used, even to its name.

“As the demand for housing in Britain grows, this scheme will be a flagship example to other landowners, showing that harmonious place-making and design does not have to be compromised when delivering new developments. The environment people live in affects the way they live. We believe that sustainably planned, built and maintained communities improve the quality of life of everyone who’s part of them.”

In the summer of 2015 the Prince’s Foundation held a two-day workshop and invited a number of stakeholders in the local community to help shape the initial plans. Community engagement will continue to be key to the development of the proposals. Farland Developments and the Prince’s Foundation will be asking the community to view the plans and make comments at a public consultation event which will be held in the coming months.

“The Prince’s Foundation workshops and public exhibitions are aimed to bring people together to create sustainable and beautiful places. Consultation helps to reach practical solutions, giving the community a say on what they want in their area”, said Ben Bolgar.

Farland Developments and the Prince’s Foundation will be announcing details of the public consultation event in the New Year.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community

The Prince’s Foundation believes that sustainably planned, built and maintained communities improve the quality of life of everyone who is part of them. They help us to both live better at a local level and start dealing with the broader challenges of urbanisation and climate change. For over 20 years we have been supporting people to plan the future of their community, to learn the skills they need to build sustainably and to share the results as examples of best practice in urban design, architecture, planning and construction.

For more information please contact:

Kathryn Cook, Communications Manager

The Prince's Foundation
19-22 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3SG
T +44 (0)20 7613 8586
M +44 (0) 7823 357 373

www.princes-foundation.org

Farland Developments

Farland Development Company creates mixed use developments based on the traditional principles of place-making. The objective of the company is simple: to create high quality, beautiful places and homes that enhance people’s lives and reflect and strengthen local character.

Farland Development Company is a specialist team working together to create uniquely designed schemes. The Farland team comes from a property and construction background with over 30 years’ experience in land assembly and the delivery of quality developments. It was founded by equal partners Dermott Farrell and Nicholas Tubbs.

Farland Developments currently operates in the South of England and Northern Ireland

Nicholas Tubbs is also 50% owner of Red Tree (2004) LLP which is developing a new market town of an initial 5,500 houses in the South Hams, in Devon named Sherford.

The market town comprises a careful mix of homes, amenities, work space and green space. The Prince's Foundation served an advisory role to turn Redtree LLP's ambitions for Sherford into a Masterplan and Town Code. This successful working relationship has contributed to The Prince's Foundation's partnership with Farland Developments for The Barton Quarter.

For media enquiries please contact:

Roz Henville, Account Manager

Copper Consultancy
11-15 Farm Street, London, W1J 5RG
T +44 (0)20 7935 1222
M +44 (0) 7871 671 193
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Ben Pentreath & Associates

Ben Pentreath’s architectural and interior design studio has established a powerful reputation across a variety of disciplines. From master-planning and urban development, to private houses and interiors, our small and close-knit team works to create the best – whatever the scale, size, scope and budget of a project. Above all, we love designing places that work beautifully for the long term, and feel right for place.

Ben’s background is in Art History, which he studied at the University of Edinburgh before attending the Prince of Wales’s Institute of Architecture. He worked for five years in New York and then with the Prince’s Foundation, before starting his own practice in 2004. Since then, the firm has grown slowly and carefully to occupy two studios in Bloomsbury’s renowned Lambs Conduit Street.

For more information please visit, http://www.benpentreath.com

Bartons Plc

Bartons are proud to have a connection with Nottinghamshire dating back to 1908. A fourth-generation family business, Bartons was founded by Thomas Henry Barton O.B.E. as one of Britain's earliest bus companies. It grew to be, for many years, the largest independent operator in the country.

Its transport activities were sold in 1989 following a change in government policies, since when its core activity has been property investment.