Creating New Communities, Placemaking for Today and Future Generations

Great Western Park

Great Western Park (GWP) is a new community, delivering high quality new homes and a range of exciting community and commercial facilities. Creating a sense of place and community by working in partnership with residents and the local authority is key to this long term investment and delivering a comprehensive approach to placemaking.

A major redevelopment

Taylor Wimpey is working with a small number of other developers to deliver Great Western Park, which includes four new schools, significant new and improved physical infrastructure and 160 hectares of public open space to support the sustainable growth of Didcot.

Our role

As lead consortium member, we assembled a variety of land parcels (controlling over 90% of the land holdings), secured planning consent and negotiated a complex Section 106 agreement. We are also using this site as an R&D centre for housing modern methods of construction.

Character areas

The masterplan is divided into three character areas separated by ‘green wedges’ which contain existing natural features. The creation of Framework Plans for each area act as a ‘handbook’ to developers and designers for each phase to strike a delicate balance between having a clear vision and a set of design ‘rules’.

Framework plan development

The Framework Plans were further developed through consultation with parish and town councils and residents via workshops and formal consultation events. We took on board any concerns and refined and developed outline proposals, considering character, building heights, connections and open spaces.

Mixture of new homes at Great Western Park

Green spaces

Our design includes 62 hectares of natural and formally landscaped open space. This green space is a key element of the scheme and a critical design factor in shaping the masterplan. Green fingers increase the number of soft boundaries, increasing the opportunity for residents to use their local environment.

Delivery timescales

Delivery timescales have been critical on a scheme of this scale to demonstrate our commitment and dedication to local stakeholders. For example, we decided to deliver the cricket pavilion early in the lifetime of the scheme as a community facility for people to use as soon as possible.

Community facilities

We are investing £60 million in transport, schools and other community facilities, in the development and the surrounding area. Around 14 hectares of land, as well as financial contributions, are also being provided to Oxfordshire County Council for two primary schools and one secondary school.

Boundary Park

We’ve also created a central oval, named Boundary Park, as well as various outdoor sports areas, including full-size cricket, rugby and football pitches, four tennis courts and a pavilion. We’re investing in youth sport by providing four junior football pitches, three mini pitches and two multi-use games areas.

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