Over 8 hectares of the site will be turned into landscaped public open space, with significant areas of parkland proposed in the eastern part of the site adjacent to the canal and Thorney Lane.

Some of this parkland will be given over to areas of woodland, retaining much of the existing planting that exists in the north-eastern part of the site. New foot and cycle paths through this land will connect the new neighbourhood to Thorney Lane as well as to the canal path and Meads Bridge.

Our proposals for green infrastructure across the entire site

Within the built areas of the development, significant tree and other planting will be provided as well as smaller, incidental areas of open space in order to provide safe, legible walking and cycling routes through the new neighbourhood. In addition, significant planting is proposed around the edge of the proposed data centre development and the station car park to screen them from view.

Rainwater will be managed by Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), integrated within the areas of open space. Run-off will be restricted to the greenfield runoff rate (or infiltrated into the ground where conditions permit) via landscaped detention basins to ensure that flood risk is not increased off-site.

We are aiming to meet the 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirement on-site, though this could be secured through additional biodiversity improvements on other land in the vicinity controlled by the landowner.