East Hemel
Designing for the next generation through nature, connection and long-term stewardship
Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Gillespies is supporting a 345ha urban extension at East Hemel, where sustainable design and equitable access to nature define a masterplan that dedicates nearly half the site to open space, including two country parks.
Gillespies is working alongside a multidisciplinary team led by masterplanners Prior & Partners to prepare a landscape framework, hybrid planning application and LVIA for a 345ha urban extension to the east of Hemel Hempstead.
The scheme is shaped by a deep sensitivity to context - its landscapes, communities and natural systems. It will deliver not only new homes, schools and community facilities, but also an interconnected network of green and blue infrastructure that places people and nature at its heart. At its core lie two significant new landscapes: a 64-hectare country park to the north and a 13-hectare park to the south, designed as places where families can gather, children can explore, and future generations will form enduring memories.
A key component of the strategy is the provision of over 70 hectares of Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space (SANG), designed to relieve pressure on the nearby Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation.
The landscape strategy works with natural systems, shaping valley parks and country parks from the undulating topography, incorporating ponds and water features that manage run-off and reduce flood risk while also creating opportunities for biodiversity. Public open spaces will be richly diverse, from formal parks and gardens to play areas, sports fields, allotments, and informal amenity spaces, each a stage for everyday life and community connection. The design approach draws on historic and natural patterns to reinforce character and connectivity.
Retained hedgerows form the basis of greener neighbourhoods and valuable habitat corridors. Existing farmsteads will be repurposed to provide community and visitor facilities, while historic lanes will be transformed into a network of ‘quietways’ that link neighbourhoods to the wider countryside and connect with the Hemel Garden Communities Green Loop. A sustainable transport corridor will provide a generous green route for pedestrian, cycle, and vehicular movement, embedding sustainable access as a central part of the masterplan.
The central commercial area will create thousands of new jobs attracting a range of emerging industries and co-locating innovation with enterprise with an innovation hub forming a new gateway into Hemel. The scheme also addresses a series of contextual challenges. Sensitive edges to existing neighbourhoods require careful integration to ensure a positive relationship with established communities.
The limited extent of flat land necessitates inventive use of topography, while noise attenuation measures, including bunding, will be essential to protect residential areas and SANG. Additional complexity arises from the interface with the Buncefield oil terminal and the requirement to manage green belt realignment in a way that balances growth with landscape stewardship.
Ultimately, the vision is rooted in natural networks, community connection, and long-term stewardship. By working with the land, respecting its history, and anticipating the needs of future generations, the scheme seeks to establish a resilient and sustainable community, underpinned by an enduring framework for social and environmental value.
Project details
Title
East Hemel
Client
The Crown Estate
Status
Ongoing
Project team
Prior + Partners, David Lock Associates, Turner & Townsend, Expedition, SLR, Temple Group, Kevin Murray Associates, Avison Young, Cotswold Archaeology, Savills, Community Stewardship Solutions
Gillespies team
Sheena Bell, Armel Mourgue