Proof: nature and buildings can thrive together
Thriving Thakeham communities already prove that housing doesn't have to conflict with the environment. Far from it. It can enhance and work with the environment.
Thriving Thakeham communities already prove that housing doesn't have to conflict with the environment. Far from it. It can enhance and work with the environment.
As West Sussex's largest single Ecological investment, our Green Bridge will transform the ecological future for generations to come. This £5m investment will connect the wildlife and support the biodiversity that was fragmented by the A24.
We want to see a world where seeing a hedgehog is an everyday experience. We support our prickly friends by creating hedgehog highways at our developments.
Wealdcross will deliver 20% biodiversity net gain. We will protect the site's ancient woodland, create hectares of new country parks, plant new trees and 4.2km of hedgerows as new biodiversity corridors.
Wealdcross will deliver 40% affordable housing for local people - helping young people own their first home, helping families onto the housing register and helping the homeless take their first steps into secure housing.
Thakeham are leading the charge towards net zero. We lead the HBF Future Homes Task Force, and at Wealdcross all homes will be carbon neutral in production and zero carbon in lifetime use.
Thakeham's homes already exceed Passivhaus standards.
All Thakeham Homes already exceed Passivhaus standards. We think local too. By using local contractors and suppliers we reduce the number of lorries on our roads and offer employment for local people.
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Welcome to Wealdcross, A new community that benefits everyone
Here at Thakeham we are responsible for creating great places. As a local award-winning community creator, it's a responsibility we take very seriously.
Thakeham is based in Horsham District. Many of our staff are Horsham residents raising families in the area. We care passionately about Horsham District. That's why we want West Sussex County Times readers to be amongst the first to discover more about our exciting and unique plans for a stunning new community at Buck Barn, called Wealdcross.
We believe that, for too long, the creation of places has just been about building houses. That has to change. Wealdcross isn't about building houses. Wealdcross is about creating a place. It's about creating a community. It's about community values.
Thakeham has an industry-leading reputation for delivering on our promises. The following pages include a few highlights of our vision for Wealdcross. It's a sneak peek into how life will feel for residents in the new Wealdcross community.
WealdCross at Buck Barn will deliver
£5m pedestrian-free green bridge over the A24 to support and sustain wildlife and biodiversity
20% biodiversity net gain, with 4.2km of new hedgerows adding to biodiversity corridors
Policy-compliant affordable housing for local people
Zero carbon emissions from the production and operation of all Thakeham homes
A range of off-site highway improvements including new northern access junction from the A24
Fast electric car charging points for every home
A new secondary school, two new primary schools, a local centre with healthcare provision
Gifted shops, cafe, co-workspace, allotments and new community businesses
Significant commercial space for new jobs and businessess
A new indoor sports hall and mixed use 3G/4G pitches for schools and the local community
The total number of homes listed on the Horsham Brownfield Land Register (2020) without planning permission is 78. That's why the proposals for Wealdcross are vital, to ensure that new homes, including 40% affordable homes, can be created while respecting and enhancing the natural environment. Let's take a closer look.
Proud to Deliver on Our Promises
Find out more about Thakeham's four key promises and our mission to change the way people think about sustainable community creation.
Zero carbon homes
with renewable technology
At least 20% net
gain in biodiversity
Policy compliant
affordable housing
Delivering a range of employment space,
co-working facilities and home office hubs
Local track record
for delivering
Community owned
facilities
Encourage walking and
cycling over use of the car
Comprehensive public transport network
and electric car charging for all homes
Carbon neutral in production, with
insetting and offsetting of carbon emissions
A new country park and a
range of sports facilities
Primary and
secondary education
High quality
design and delivery
£5M pedestrian-free Green BRIDGE OVER THE FOUR LANE A24
Bordered with a continuous thicket to reduce disturbance from light and noise emitted from passing traffic, OUR PEDESTRIAN-FREE GREEN Bridge will span four lanes of the A24 at Buck Barn and connect biodiversity corridors from Climping in the South AND St Leonard's in the North.
Green bridges are a great solution. But the UK is lagging behind. We only have three similar bridges in Britain whilst some countries in Europe have hundreds of them.
Thakeham specialises in maximising biodiversity net gain in its developments. We work closely with The WIldlife Trusts and Surrey Wildlife Trust to develop our own Biodiversity Principles. These principles are proven to work and our Martingales development was independently assessed and proven to have delivered a 41.38% biodiversity net gain - more than double the target set by authorities.
Proof: Nature and Buildings can Thrive Together
Enhancing the environment with a 20% improvement in biodiversity, including 4.2km of new hedgerows
There are already country estates in Sussex that successfully operate a portfolio of residential and commercial properties, whilst conserving nature and improving biodiversity. These estates inspire Thakeham to create sustainable communities. They prove that nature and sustainable buildings and infrastructure can thrive together without any risk of damaging the environment.
At Thakeham, our own local experiences back this up, and have formed our biodiversity principles. These principles have been implemented at a Thakeham development in Surrey. On completion, it was independently assessed by Surrey Wildlife Trust to deliver a 41.38% biodiversity net gain.
40% AFFORDABLE HOUSING
WEALDCROSS WILL HELP DELIVER A MIX OF HOMES FOR EVERYONE IN HORSHAM DISTRICT.
Wealdcross will deliver 40% affordable housing for local people. This is about giving young people the chance to achieve their dream of home ownership, for the families on the housing register aspiring for better accommodation, the homeless taking their first steps into secure housing, the opportunity for older people to downsize. Wealdcross will help deliver a mix of homes for everyone in Horsham District.
Electric car incentives
ELECTRIC FAST CAR CHARGING POINTS FOR EVERY HOME.
As part of encouraging a sustainable future, all homes will have fast car charging points and we will provide a £3,000 incentive towards an electric car on house purchase, and further incentives for e-bikes too.
Wealdcross will also be the place for greener travel, with interlinking cycle routes and secure cycle storage for apartments and houses. There's a pedestrian-friendly village centre, and the new primary and secondary schools on-site means car use is greatly reduced. When people want to travel further afield, Wealdcross is also being integrated into the local bus network.
zero carbon
Every Thakeham home will be zero carbon in operation, and carbon neutral in production.
Thakeham was the UK's first housebuilder to sign the SME Climate Commitment, joining the UN's Race to Zero campaign. We are also leading the Home Builders Federation's Future Homes Taskforce. We are leading the charge towards zero carbon placemaking, including the production and the operation of all homes at Wealdcross.
Reducing the carbon footprint has been an integral part of the vision for Wealdcross from day one. A new home at Wealdcross will combine ultra-high energy efficiency with renewable technology, filtered air systems, and fast electric car charging points to achieve the highest environmental credentials.
Investing in schools and the local community
Thakeham will gift new indoor sports hall and mixed use 3G/4G pitches for schools and the local community.
At Wealdcross, we will gift a new indoor sports hall and mixed use 3G/4G pitches for schools and the local community, together with a new country park and village green. Thakeham are proud to invest in sport locally and are the main sponsors of Horsham Rugby Club, Atlantis Swimming Club, Billingshurst Cricket Club, and a range of sports teams across Sussex.
Looking ahead, in 20 years' time the trees will have grown taller and children will have grown up at Wealdcross, but our vision will have created a place that offers a truly rare quality of life.
OFF-SITE highway improvements TO THE A24
A range of off-site highway improvements including new northern access junction from the A24.
We are proposing off-site highway improvements, up and down the A24. This includes a new northern access junction from the A24, serving as the main site access, together with a new southern access junction at Buck Barn as secondary access, improving traffic flow on the A24. We are also looking at junction improvements from Washington, up to the Great Daux roundabout on the A24, and all junctions in between.
At our development at Woodgate, Pease Pottage we over-delivered £7 million of road improvements before completing the first houses, to ensure the road network was ready.
Share your thoughts
Make sure that your voice is heard as the Wealdcross development evolves, with early consultations available for any queries you may have.
We are here to listen.