The Abbey Estate is a suburban residential estate adjacent to Thetford Forest and the Little Ouse River, and in walking distance of Thetford Town Centre. We have carried out extensive engagement with residents to understand their concerns and aspirations for the estate and help develop a preferred masterplan option. This community-led approach will help to tackle the issues that have been identified through the process and improve the character and function of the neighbourhood.
The masterplan for the Abbey Estate is landscape-led, with sustainability at its core. Alongside delivering a variety of new homes, green spaces and improvements to the existing public realm are proposed. The masterplan presents the opportunity for a new neighbourhood park at the heart of the estate which repurposes existing green space. New buildings adjacent to the park will support existing and new shops and businesses and house a new community centre. A network of smaller private courtyards and pocket parks will offer a choice of amenity spaces on the doorstep of homes. A series of new and improved streets which promote walking and cycling will help to stitch the Abbey into its surroundings and improve connectivity to and within the estate.
Improvements to the Riverside to the south of the estate will unlock the potential of significant but currently underutilised green space and reinstate this as a recreational asset, bringing substantial ecological benefits, and promoting active and healthy lifestyles. This initiative will also support the vision of wider Thetford, stitching together west Thetford with the town centre, and improve connections from the forest to town along the river footpath network.
Working with residents to develop masterplan options for an existing estate.