Creating a successful new neighbourhood requires more than delivering new homes. It means responding to local character, overcoming complex planning constraints and creating a place with its own identity that connects seamlessly with the existing community.
Working on behalf of Lovell Homes, we secured detailed planning approval for a new mixed-tenure neighbourhood at Drummond Park in Ludgershall. The approved scheme will deliver 412 homes across 13.4 hectares of former Ministry of Defence land, together with a network of public open spaces, play areas and green infrastructure.
The context
Drummond Park occupies a strategically important site on the edge of Ludgershall that had remained vacant for many years following its former military use. While the principle of residential development had already been established through outline planning permission, the site had a long and complex planning history, with previous proposals failing to progress.
Our appointment focused on securing detailed approval for the reserved matters, including the layout, scale, appearance and landscaping of the new neighbourhood. The challenge was to create a high-quality residential environment that reflected the character of Ludgershall while responding to the site’s relationship with the surrounding countryside.
The project also presented significant environmental challenges. Located within the catchments of the Rivers Avon and Test, the development needed to achieve phosphate and nitrate neutrality to ensure there would be no adverse impact on important habitats.
Our approach
Working closely with Lovell Homes, Homes England and Wiltshire Council, our planning and architectural teams developed proposals for a contemporary neighbourhood that draws inspiration from Ludgershall’s existing built character.
The approved scheme enables 412 one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, including maisonettes, with 25% as affordable housing. A network of open spaces and play areas is integrated throughout the development to create a healthy and well-connected neighbourhood.
The masterplan is structured around three distinct character areas, each responding to different aspects of the local context:
- High Street – a principal east-west street forming the heart of the neighbourhood.
- The Farmstead Clusters – drawing inspiration from the informal character of surrounding villages and the rural edge of Ludgershall.
- The Lanes – reflecting the scale and character of the town’s secondary streets to help integrate the development with the existing settlement.
Alongside the design work, we helped navigate the site’s complex environmental constraints. Working collaboratively with Wiltshire Council and the wider consultant team, solutions were developed to achieve phosphate neutrality through the council’s strategic mitigation programme, while nitrate neutrality was secured through the creation of new natural habitat on nearby council-owned land.
The outcome
Detailed planning permission was secured for a new neighbourhood that responds positively to its surroundings while addressing local housing need. By combining a distinctive placemaking strategy with a varied housing mix, integrated green infrastructure and carefully considered environmental mitigation, the approved scheme provides a strong framework for the long-term delivery of one of Ludgershall’s most significant residential developments.