Tony Pidgley labels Kidbrooke Village as a "compelling example of building a community"

Tony Pidgley writes for Estates Gazette about the importance of putting people at the heart of long regeneration projects. He says “Good development is all about people. It’s about making life better, creating beautiful homes and putting the wellbeing of the whole community at heart of every plan. It’s about creating places people will love as their own and care for long after we’ve all gone. Good architecture is important but at the end of the day it all comes down to people’s quality of life – how they see it, rather than us developers or politicians. I’ve always believed that common sense and decency are free.”

He goes on to discuss Berkeley Homes’ Kidbrooke Village delivering C 5000 new homes “Some exceptional public spaces, homes and amenities have been created at Kidbrooke Village, but that doesn’t explain why this community has thrived. The real lesson is that we need to focus on people, not plans, and approach every small decision with their wellbeing in mind.”

HTA’s Landscape team are working across multiple phases of the landscape and public realm at Kidbrooke. We responded to the brief with a landscape led vision for Cator Park and the wider Kidbrooke Village, proposing a mosaic of varied habitat, topography and biophilic spaces including lakes, WSUD wetlands, meadows, open amenity and wild spaces. The scheme returns nature to the city and challenges the perception that urban brownfield development cannot contribute to the wider ecological and biodiversity network whist creating successful spaces for the community. Not only has nature returned but the parkland transformation has received an overwhelmingly positive response from local residents. This new 8ha park at the centre of the development will offer a legacy for the local community & London that will bring people together and form a sense of identity.

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