Client: Grange Farm Centre Trust
Location: Chigwell, Essex
Pavilion Architect: Tooley Foster Partnership
Sports field consultant: SLD
Engineer: Walker Associates

Brief
As a result of a new residential development, the Grange Farm Centre Trust invited Liz Lake Associates to help negotiate a Section 106 agreement to enhance an adjacent 12 hectares of public open space in their ownership. As development started on site, a condition of the Section 106 was that the landscape works would be implemented and the Trust asked us to monitor work on site on their behalf.

Approach
Our role was to advise on the wording and content of the Section 106 prepared by Epping Forest District Council and Essex Wildlife Trust and to help the Trust secure the most appropriate solution for a new informal public open space. A programme of initial works and a long-term management plan were prepared. We have now monitored the site for two years, overseeing vegetation management, scrub clearance, grassland establishment, planting and the construction of an all weather path. In the nature conservation areas, particular objectives have been to increase the area of habitat suitable for great crested newts, and to encourage the development of species-rich grassland. Associated with two establishing sports pitches is a new community building designed for the Trust by the Tooley Foster Partnership which includes changing facilities, a community hall and a workshop for Essex Wildlife Trust.

Outcome
The developer’s team provided just the right touch for this project, which has a strong conservation bias. The scheme is at the ‘growing in’ stage with no public access but the football club, Colebrook Royals, is looking forward to taking on the building and playing fields as its base and, in the longer term, the management policy will benefit local nature conservation and provide a valuable resource for the local community. It will also form a ‘green’ link that connects to Roding Valley Meadows Nature Reserve north of the M11 and the Three Forests Way.