Changing landscapes in Halstead: 'Oakwood Hill'

I recently re-visited a town I know very well, Halstead. A place that is currently undergoing many new changes in the landscape, particularly around the greenfield fringes of the town, including the development of multiple housing estates which are located on land which was previously used for agriculture. These estates, including the one I've just visited (below) raise a whole host of questions about the future of the town, but also as a nation, questions about our ever-diminishing relationship with the rural landscape and nature. Should we continue to pave over the countryside? Build now, think later - I think not.

The conversion of agricultural land to a suburban estate in the foreground, with a remnants of the greenfield rural landscapes in the background

Planning permission for 292 homes off Oak Road was granted in June 2016.

'Oakwood Hill' by Bloor homes. The name clearly was derived to subconsciously embed the scheme in England, using the nations most famous ancient tree type. But will this scheme embed itself in more than the nation, but the local town? And will this manifest in the architecture?

The groundworks and ground floor envelopes of the estate are well underway. Repetition of materials throughout the scheme is beginning to occur.

Suburbanisation-in-progress

Large scale earthworks are currently underway in order to fill the greenfield site with the services required.

A seemingly 'homely' looking garden wall amongst the chaos of the groundworks is visible from the main road

See Developer website for more:

https://bloorhomes.com/developments/eastern/oakwood-hill?&gclid=CjwKCAjwxZnYBRAVEiwANMTRX9MQ9B6CjfROddf24Q4_R0wur5NLbWSeeg-y97-ZoxvWPggNjWAi2hoC7tYQAvD_BwE

Local news: http://www.halsteadgazette.co.uk/news/15044946.Construction_on_major_town_housing_development_set_to_start_in_spring/

Adjacent site:

https://oakroadhalstead.co.uk/