Beechfield Housing

Client: Hawkcrest/Torbay Council
Completion date: Masterplan 2007


Kay Elliott worked with by Hawkcrest and Torbay Council to develop an illustrative masterplan for a problematic Council owned site.

Allocated for affordable housing within the Adopted Local Plan, the site’s steep topography, restricted access and the proximity of historic landfill contamination had created a number of perceived barriers which had discouraged previous developer interest.

Kay Elliott's masterplan successfully demonstrated how the site could be realistically developed to provide 140 dwellings. In addition our proposals created further development opportunities on adjacent housing association land - adding to the integration of the new development and creating significant value from a previously inaccessible site. 

The existing access point, retained landscape and steep topography helped establish a straightforward hierarchy of streets, homezones and footpaths; creating a network of connections, linking the new development to established neighbourhoods, adjacent facilities and public transport routes.

The perceived difficult topography was exploited as a positive feature, opening up views towards Dartmoor, assisting in the integration of parking and creating opportunities for increased access to private space.

The masterplan successfully enabled the Council's disposal of the site which is currently being developed as a low carbon, mixed tenure housing scheme; set to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) levels 3 & 5.

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