Housing Development in Caldicot's Centre

Caldicot has developed significantly over the past half a century with urban sprawl occurring in order to cope with the rapid increase in population. This, as well as the issue of small businesses struggling to compete with the increase of retail going online, has caused the town centre and village High Street to become neglected, losing its sense of place. The aim of this project was to design a new housing development which densified Caldicot’s centre – utilising wasted space, helping revitalise the struggling High Street and retaining the green belts our ecosystems so desperately need.

My proposal was a housing settlement of ten units. These units varied in size to enable young first-time buyers, which this development was aimed at, with different budgets to afford to live there. Every unit has a private courtyard, either enclosed by another unit or fencing, with some also having a roof terrace. These could later be expanded into if desired and additional framework will be left undeveloped to allow for adaptability. A community building was also incorporated which featured a large open-plan communal kitchen with an adjacent laundry room, socialising space and toilet on the ground floor.

The first floor provided a space for residents to work from home which leads onto a roof terrace. This space provides additional facilities which may be lacking in the smaller units and helps to build strong ties between neighbours which are often lacking in today’s society. The brief stated that the proposal needed to be “well integrated into the surrounding context, responding in a sensitive and considered way, offering a clear sense of place and contributing meaningfully to the wider community”. Therefore, my proposal included multiple interventions which enhanced the surrounding area. This included improving the existing pedestrian route to the High Street from the site as well as creating a new wider route for cyclists, encouraging self-sufficiency through a semi-public allotment (of which the produce could be sold at the local market), and creating a diverse public garden with pond. Sustainability was also an important consideration, with just one example being the design aiming to discourage the use of unsustainable transport through the incorporation of a bicycle parking area and electric charging points for shared communal cars.