Boxwood - Hoddendon and Hertford Health Village

The Boxwood site sat on the edge of a forest between the outskirts of Hoddendon and Hertford Health Village.

Cycle and pedestrian routes into the site are laid out to encourage walking and cycling. The boundaries are reinforced with the native tree, hedge and shrub planting.

The access road for the houses is a shared surface lane running alongside the existing broadleaved tree belt that contains the stream. It is surfaced with concrete sets with kerb edging. The turning circle at the end allows access to the bin lorries and fire engines.

Large grass areas to the East of the Lane with mown grass with a backdrop of wildflowers that drift into the woodland belt are an amenity for the residents.

The location of the site, surrounded by forest and woodland or tree belts, is naturally screened from views of the site.

The landscape design further reduces any impacts with new plantings of trees, hedges, and shrubs, while at the same time setting the houses and offices into a landscape. Such mitigation measures make the development a low impact on the Green Belt. It also improves the biodiversity, with native trees, shrubs and wildflowers planted, and a pond with marginal and aquatic habitats.