Toad's Hole proposals

Aerial view of the site looking south

Toad's Hole Valley, the largest greenfield development site in the City, is allocated in the City Plan to provide a modern, high quality, sustainable mixed-use development comprising new family and affordable homes, office space and community facilities. Following  consultation with residents a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to guide the development was adopted by the Council earlier this year.

St Congar, the holding company for the land, is working with the landowners to bring forward the site in line with the SPD. St Congar will not build out the site themselves, but will sell parcels to other developers and/or housing associations to deliver over the coming years.

To facilitate this St.Congar have now published outline proposals for the development based on the SPD which seem to match or improve on the aspirations of the City Plan.

School (blue) & business areas (pink) in the bottom of the Valley

Ponds, swales, soakaways and permeable paving

Energy saving, solar energy, rainwater storage, ecological mitigation.

It is somewhat surprising that access to the site is proposed via 7 new junctions on to  King George VI Avenue. The effect of vehicles exiting the site and having to accelerate up the hill should have a notable calming effect on traffic speeds. The extra traffic at the Dyke Road roundabout might also cause problems.

King George VI Avenue