Conningbrook, Kent

A breakthrough in sustainable development, Conningbrook features a £3.5 million engineered wetland to filter nutrients from local waterways, unlocking much-needed housing while enhancing biodiversity.

Redrow and Quinn Estates have tackled the challenge of nutrient neutrality at the Conningbrook development in Ashford, Kent, with a pioneering solution: the creation of a £3.5 million engineered wetland adjacent to the site.

This innovative initiative ensures:

Excess nitrates and phosphates are filtered out of the Great Stour River
No additional nutrient burden on the nearby Stodmarsh Special Area of Conservation
Habitats for native species through the planting of 140,000 reeds and other flora

This project not only unlocks hundreds of homes in a high-demand area but sets a precedent for sustainable development that respects environmental constraints while creating a thriving new community.

Conningbrook will ultimately deliver:

725 homes, with 288 in the first phase
A new school, community centre, village green, and parkland
Enhancements to paths and future connectivity to Conningbrook Lakes Country Park

Redrow is leading the housing and infrastructure elements, while Quinn Estates manages the local centre and secured hybrid planning permission in 2022.

The wetland solution is the first of its kind in the South East to be fully permitted, addressing a regulatory ban on new development without nutrient mitigation.

How it works:

Water from the Great Stour is diverted through engineered reed beds arranged in a series of cells.
Natural processes, including sedimentation, plant growth and microbial activity, convert nutrients into benign forms.
The system operates year-round with seasonal flow adjustments and returns purified water to the river.

The wetlands became operational in January 2024 ahead of the first home completions. Leased for 100 years, the site is ecologically monitored and managed by Trustgreen.

Link to Download Conningbrook Kent Case Study

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