Director James Brewer worked on the landscape masterplan for Kilnwood Vale in 2011 whilst with SLR Consulting, and has watched with interest as his landscape vision for this now thriving community has been realised. Utilising the principles of the “Garden City Movement” Kilnwood Vale is an innovative development of around 2,500 homes in West Sussex with community open space, ecological corridors, sustainable transport links and wellbeing at its heart.

Built on a reclaimed landfill site, green infrastructure has been maximised to create multi-functional, safe, attractive and ecologically rich greenways for active travel, pocket parks, gardens and open spaces which knit together the planned diversity of housing styles.

With a tree-lined boulevard as its central spine, a “village green” and play area, plus a wealth of courtyards and green corridors between the neighbourhood zones, it has been designed to be a very pleasant and neighbourly community, making the most of its surrounding country views to encourage active, outdoor living as well as enhancing biodiversity for local wildlife.

The development has been planned to encouraging sustainable transport choices in everyday life; trips to schools, local shops, small business premises and medical care, amongst other amenities, are all accessible on foot or by bike.

Kilnwood Vale is currently in the second of five phases; a new primary school opened in 2019 and future plans include a railway station, allotments and a 40 hectare nature reserve.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: SLR Consulting (led by James Brewer)
CLIENT: Crest Nicholson
LOCATION: Horsham, West Sussex
PARTNERS: Barton Wilmore, PBA