Down Ampney, Cotswolds

FPCR supported Hourigan Connolly Planning in their representations to the Cotswold District Council Development Strategy and Site Allocations Consultation (January 2025) for the allocation of five development sites at Down Ampney.

FPCR worked with a multi-disciplinary team to deliver a high quality landscape and public realm scheme. We prepared a full set of drawings, designing the scheme from concept through to detailed design. We also provided advice to the design & build contractor throughout the construction stage of the project.

A wide, tree-lined pathway leads from the site entrance to the main building. The immediate setting of the building comprises a mix of high quality paving and street furniture, including covered cycle shelter for 112 cycles, a secure cycle store, car parking, seating, bin store, bollards, lighting and access barriers. Soft landscaping included native and ornamental planting, with architectural planting designed to echo the strong building lines. A contoured mound with amphitheatre-style seating helps screen car parking areas from the building, and helps to envelope the green space in front of the building.

In addition to landscape design services, FPCR also undertook the ecological appraisal and prepared an ecological management plan. Ecologists worked alongside Landscape Architects to design ecological features, including a butterfly habitat alongside the railway.

The practice produced a Vision Document which analysed the landscape and visual character of Down Ampney and recommended a sustainable development strategy for the village over the forthcoming plan period.

The outcome of this appraisal was driven by the assessed environmental capacity of the settlement form and its countryside setting, taking into account potential constraints such as heritage and biodiversity.

A village-wide masterplan was prepared, to demonstrate how up to 245 dwellings, 530sqm of office space and Green infrastructure (including allotments) could be sensitively assimilated into the Cotswolds village, across 5 separate sites.