Thickthorn Farm, Houghton Conquest
Thickthorn Farm is a new ‘single family housing’ build to rent development for circa 800 new homes, amenity, primary school and country park in Central Bedfordshire. The site sits adjacent the Ampthill Road B530 in the west and the Bedford Road in the south. The site is presently agricultural land and largely flat.
As well as delivering intensification across the homes on the site, the thematic of a approach is that of a place that is led by the landscape, open, welcoming, easy to navigate, accessible for pedestrians and cyclists.
‘We can start to imagine somewhere that solves elegantly and efficiently the challenges of building homes and communities that can undermine the quality of life. We can imagine a place that communicates effortlessly with the people living there, directing them gently when they need to be directed, entertaining or enlightening them when they have the time. ‘
The proposal is centred on designing for people, for the community of Houghton Conquest. We are seeking to create and design an intergenerational scheme, where affordability encourages diversity, The vision for a development characterised by a high quality of architecture, by a highly liveable public realm that encourage a diverse and creative community. We have sought to use the semi-private and public realm as amenity space that can be enjoyed by the residents and the wider community of Thickthorn Farm.
The spaces between buildings are crucial to the success of the setting, and the emergence of a considered design. We have worked with and adhered stringently to the parameters of the outline consent, and have sought to develop a scheme which develops the vernacular materiality of the surrounding area. Using modern methods of construction, we are seeking to integrate new technologies, and design a place that promotes sustainable living, wellness, connection, growth, and a common unity. Sustainability is critical to the vision and will promote the highest quality homes both inside and out.
We have submitted a series of planning applications for the site with the first 2 consented. The project will start on site in Q4 2022 with first delivery of homes and the country park in 2023.
