A Parklands Inspired Development
on Land North and East of
Blandford Forum
Character Areas
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In the latest masterplanning work we have defined three main character areas across the whole site. These character areas change across the site as the site varies.
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The character areas described below help to define specific elements of the plans like the types of dwelling, the height and the way the development relates to the open space.
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The parkland landscape components will tie together three broad character areas proposed for the development. Built characteristics within these areas will draw reference from both Blandford Forum and the surrounding rural Dorset vernacular with subtle differences in design detail, scale of buildings, and their relationship to adjacent routes and spaces, whilst maintaining an overall sense of unity and cohesion within the parkland landscape.
The three main areas are:
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Parkland Centre
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Parkland Core
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Parkland Edge
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Parkland Centre
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This zone focusses on the mixed-use local centre area in the northern parcel. This area includes the community facilities and a higher density residential development that maximises the viability and sustainability of the facilities, including the school, shops, community hall and established public transport routes.
This area will present a more formal built character reflecting the civic functions, spaces, primary avenue access street, and the importance of the prominent frontage and town extension opportunity along Salisbury Road. The area will draw some reference from the mixed-use streets and spaces of Blandford Forum, with 2-3 storey buildings, active ground floor uses with apartments above, and busy community facilities addressing a square. The pallet of materials and some local references are covered below.
Design concept plan
Parkland Core
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This area is the main heart of the southern proposals defined by the large central park space, a network of wide avenues and parkland streets, focal green spaces, and medium density housing.
The main entrance and approach will be formed by large primary avenues and consistent building types. A network of Parkland and Mews Streets will transition from the wide primary avenues to form a more intimate residential character, with houses an cottages addressing gently curving tree lined streets.
References will be drawn from both Blandford and the surrounding area with predominantly 2 storey dwellings with brick elevations and slate roofs. Slight scale increases to 2.5 storeys will be contained to key frontages addressing the large park. The brick elevations will be intermixed with some flint and render adding variety. A more ‘rural feel’ will be created along the bypass, where some flint and timber boarding will mix with brick to help assimilate buildings into the landscape. Examples are included below.
Parkland Edge
This character area focuses on the edge of the southern parcel of development towards the mature tree boundaries. This rural character of the Parkland Edge transitions the development to the adjoining countryside.
The change in character here would be towards lower scale development, including cottages and barn styles development. Barn style buildings, and groups of low scale terrace cottages 1.5 to 2 storey will present positive frontages to the surrounding landscape. Internal courtyards will contain and conceal parking and enable car free pedestrian and cycle routes to meander through the landscape. Design references have been drawn from the surrounding villages and rural Dorset vernacular, predominately flint with brick banding, brick and occasional timber. Examples and the material pallet can be seen below.
There is an additional sub-character area in the Parkland Rural Edge defined by the existing established Beech tree woodland boundaries. This area includes detached cottages gently stepping back along a narrow lane fronting the woodland landscape.
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