Killynure Green

Description

Bournville Gardens forms Phase 1 of the College Green development by Bournville Village Trust (BVT). College Green redevelops the former Bournville College site to deliver a new care village consisting of four health orientated buildings centred around a new village green continuing the Bournville tradition of integrating high quality public realm into its developments.All of the apartments at Bournville Gardens have access to their own generous private space. Those units on the ground floor have terraces whilst those on the floors above benefit large private balconies. These balconies are a major part of the buildings elevation treatment, are all 1.7m deep, typically running the full width of the unit's living space with many extending to their full length. The courtyard has been planned so the more social spaces are closest to the building with central gathering areas, outdoor dining and a horticultural area. As the garden moves away from the building the character changes to a more formal garden style with planted borders, pergolas and texturally paved seating spaces. To the end of the garden the character changes again to an open grassed area and latterly there is an orchard. The concept uses the radial pattern from the building with linking routes through and around the whole courtyard. The design offers the user 'destinations' depending on mobility, with a seat in view at the end of each vista. The proposed materials are durable but offer a quality, texture and interest across the area. Closer to the building the paving is exposed aggregate slabs, moving away the unit sizes change as the character evolves; clay brick edges to paths provide a garden feel, exposed aggregate radially laid blocks add interest and variation and feature brick paving to the centre of the garden gives texture and character; bonded gravel is used further into the courtyard as the character changes from 'garden' to a semi-parkland feel. The planting in the courtyard delivers a garden character through a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and specimens. Within this there are large proportion of perennials to give the shrub beds additional colour, texture and importantly fragrance. The use of semi mature trees provide scale and proportion against the building. They also delineate the space as the character changes and to give particular seasonal interest are specimen trees with a variety of colour and texture scattered through the scheme.The trees to the rear of the courtyard are native and assist with the landscape buffer at the boundary.The boundary planting itself has been strengthened and includes new trees and a substantial native mix hedge along its entire length to provide visual screening and the opportunity to enhance biodiversity. The Courtyard offers a strong design which can be added to in layers as the garden evolves.

Planning History

An outline planning application for the site was approved in 2008 granting approval for residential development. The outline approval provided 99no. two and three storey residential units across the site. It also proposed creating a new green and play area within the site.BVT revised this scheme with a new outline application in January 2012 for the development of a care village. This comprised of a 208 unit extra care facility; a dementia care home; an independent living scheme and a Health and Well Being Centre along with associated public open space. Planning permission was granted in April 2012.Subsequently a detailed planning application for Bournville Gardens was submitted in August 2012, with planning permission granted in November 2012.