Crest Nicholson and Swindon Borough Council have been working collaboratively to deliver a thriving, sustainable and successful new community at Tadpole Garden Village.
Located in landscaped surroundings between the Cotswolds and Swindon, Tadpole Garden Village (TGV) comprises 1,855 homes and is based on 21st century garden village principles, with a focus on character, lifestyle and legacy.
The Tadpole Garden Village design codes, prepared by Crest Nicholson in collaboration with Swindon Borough Council and community representatives, expand upon how the garden village concept will be delivered and have been formally adopted by the council through the planning process. The codes are inspired by the garden cities movement of the late 19th century and provide a mechanism to ensure that the new community is delivered in accordance with the vision.
The masterplan is landscape-led and includes delivery of a common, a nature park, stray and woodland, as well as sports pitches, play areas and allotments. The codes require significant verges, tree planting and hedgerows as front boundaries within the streets.
The vision aims to create a high-quality designed place where people will want to live and visit with on-plot parking, community facilities and transport connections. The community has already delivered a primary school and a dedicated branded bus service and will soon provide a secondary school, community centre, medical practice and public house.
Tadpole Garden Village is also the only strategic site within the borough of Swindon currently delivering a 30 per cent mix of affordable housing, for rented and shared ownership accommodation.
The development of this site is excellent news for Swindon and I am delighted that we have been able to forge such a successful partnership with Crest Nicholson. Following the granting of planning permission back in 2012 the site now forms part of the Swindon Local Plan and I am greatly impressed by the rapid pace of construction by Crest Nicholson, from completion of the first house in 2014. This is yet another example of the council’s determination to develop sites for housing as soon as they become available in line with our pledge.
Councillor Toby Elliott, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Sustainability, Swindon Borough Council
The objective has been to engender a sense of pride and community ownership at Tadpole Garden Village and the design and commitment to the garden village principles are a big part of that, but the long term management and maintenance of the community is equally important.
A community interest company (CIC) has been established to oversee the management of the open space and other community assets. All TGV residents and associated stakeholders are members of the CIC.
Crest Nicholson is pump-priming the CIC and will gift two retail units as a long-term revenue income stream and any revenue generated from a TGV asset will be returned to the CIC.
Crest Nicholson will continue to work closely with the community for its long-term benefit, ensuring a successful management structure is in place to safeguard the future prosperity of Tadpole Garden Village.
The partnership between Crest Nicholson and Swindon Borough Council shows just what can be achieved when a local authority works hand-inhand with a developer, with the aim of creating a development that is built for the needs of the community. It will establish a lasting legacy that will positively benefit residents and local community now and in years to come.
Andrew Dobson, Managing Director (Strategic Projects), Crest Nicholson