Earlier this month we were delighted that Crown Gardens, a new high quality mixed-use residential led development in Woking town centre, was approved at Woking Borough Council’s Planning Committee. This was an excellent result for our client Donard Homes and for the consultant team involved in the scheme design and planning application.
The proposals involved the construction of a building with up to 25 storeys delivering 272 homes and five commercial units, in a very sustainable location within an urban brownfield site. Improvements to the public realm around the site was a key feature of the scheme, including the provision of 44 new street trees and a new 500sqm public square.
Pulsar were brought into the project team at an early stage, and provided high level advice on the transport elements of the early iterations of the scheme. A key focus was on early and collaborative engagement with the highway authority (Surrey County Council) through a series of pre-application discussions. Car parking, servicing and refuse collection requirements were carefully considered as the scheme design evolved, and Pulsar also provided advice for the public realm elements including design of footways and on-street parking/loading areas.
The development will be Build To Rent (BTR), which is specifically designed to attract long-term rentals by providing tenants with a range of amenities and helping to create a sense of community. As such, the development will include a gym, workspace, and ample outdoor communal and private amenity.
Given the excellent transport connectivity of the site, the plethora of amenities within a stone’s throw from the site and the comprehensive parking restrictions surrounding the area, a car-free scheme was considered appropriate by the local authorities. The proposals also included generous cycle parking provision and contributions towards car club spaces.
To support the planning application, Pulsar prepared a Transport Assessment, Travel Plan and an Outline Construction Management Plan. All of these were accepted by Surrey County Council.