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PROJECT REPORT: RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
This is a vision that has remained unchanged since the scheme’s early gestation as an eco-town, Devine explains. “The designation of West Carclaze as a garden village consolidated and strengthened the strategic vision for a forward thinking and exemplar approachto developing new settlements, especially in more rural regions like Cornwall,” adds the architect.
Devine says he believes the garden city principles that underpin garden village designation have raised the profi le and awareness of the benefi ts of green infrastructure, and bolstered its chances of caretaking and management over the long term by local stakeholders. This will help “provide long term community benefi ts over many generations.”
The principles have resulted in the practice “layering green realms from private plots to parks,” Devine explains. These have been aligned “wherever possible” to south- facing slopes to maximise natural light and integrate roof-mounted PV. “The concept is both placemaking and performance: gardens frame daily life while the landform
underpins the energy strategy.” Certain elements of the masterplan were dictated by the location and history of the site. “The clay country landform drove terracing, drainage and attenuation, and view-led massing,” says Devine. “Heritage assets and ecology shaped the park hierarchy and wetland restoration, so the place reads as Cornish and contemporary.”
There were several potential geotechnical and land contamination hazards due to the previous mining activity, such as pits and quarries, tips containing potential contaminants, underground mining shafts, and other potential contaminants. All hazards were assessed, constraints identifi ed and mitigated by “standard engineering design or by good working practice,” says Devine. Mitigation measures were minimised where possible by designing to respond to geological features rather than alter or remove them.
Ecological investigations also took place across the entire site, the results of which also impacted development proposals. One of the core principles
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ADF MARCH 2026
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