Wychavon Town
‘Wychavon Town is a pioneering new town that will be built around the key railway hub of Worcestershire Parkway, delivering a place where people will live connected, fulfilling lives, in harmony with nature and each other’.
The delivery of the new settlement follows the adoption of the South Worcestershire Development Plan (2021-2041). Wychavon Town (also known as Worcestershire Parkway) is identified under Policy SWDPR 55 for the delivery of 10,000 new homes and 50 hectares of employment land, including a minimum of 5,000 new homes proposed in the period up to 2041.
The new settlement will deliver a series of well connected neighborhoods, each served by local services and community facilities, schools and vast areas of accessible public open space. A new town centre will also be delivered to the north of Worcestershire Parkway Railway Station.
A Concept Plan supports Policy SWDPR 55 providing one way in which the wider settlement could come forward.
The principles of connectivity and sustainable travel are at the heart of the new settlement, with people and place prioritized over the car, encouraging walking, cycling and the use of public transport. The provision of attractive landscaped active travel corridors will be a key feature of the proposed residential neigbourhoods. There will be six defined residential neigbourhoods propsoed across the new settlement.
The proposed development at land south of Worcestershire Parkway Sation directly to the south of Worcestershire Parkway Railway Station will form part of the Southern Neighbourhood, also known as Abbotswood Ridge, the largest of the proposed neighbourhoods.
Additional information on Wychavon Town can be found on the Council’s Wychavon Town information website www.wychavontown.co.uk. A brochure is included on the website which provides additional information on the proposed homes, neighbourhoods, transport links, green spaces, schools, community facilities, and the long-term timeline for development.
Draft Wychavon Town
Spatial Framework SPD
The draft Wychavon Town Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) provides a set of guidelines for developers alongside the provisions of the South Worcesershire Development Plan Policy SWDPR 55.
The SPD expands further on the provisions of the policy setting out design principles and parameters for each of the Wychavon Town neighbourhoods so as to inform and shape the delivery of development parcels and the settlement as a whole to meet the Council’s long term vison for Wychavon Town, designed around high quality placemaking.
The SPD sets out a vision for a vibrant, well connected community where homes, facilities and key public spaces are arranged around a central ridgeline linear park (‘Ridge Park'). This green spine will form the heart of the neighbourhood, supporting active travel and linking a series of local centres.
Abbotswood Ridge is identified within the SPD as the largest neighbourhood within Wychavon Town. The Site sits north of the neighbourhood, immediately to the south of Worcestershire Parkway Railway Station. The proposed development will facilitate enhanced connections to the railway station for residents of the adjoining neighbourhood.
Whilst the proposed Masterplan for the Site incorporates key design principles proposed through the emerging SPD and having regard to the wider settlement proposals, the Site has also been carefully designed as a free standing development with associated infrastructure, enabling its early delivery to much needed homes in the local area.
