Argent Related and Barnet Council, who are jointly delivering the new £7 billion, 180-acre north London neighbourhood at Brent Cross Town, have selected landscape architecture practice Gustafson Porter + Bowman to design the scheme’s largest and most distinctive green space, the 44-acre Clitterhouse Playing Fields.
The reimagined playing fields will be home to a wide variety of new sport and play facilities, a new network of walking and cycle paths, designated places for picnics and gatherings, as well as plenty of space to enjoy nature.
Gustafson Porter + Bowman’s design will be informed by engagement with local people and community groups, beginning in September with a series of events looking at the role the park will play as part of the new town centre. Central to its design will be the partnership’s pledge to create the place in London to participate in sport and play. The playing fields will provide the best of both traditional and emerging sports, working with leading sports organisations, governing bodies and hero ambassadors to help drive female participation, and champion diversity and inclusion in all its forms.
Morwenna Hall, Partner of Argent Related, said, “All successful places are built around the things that make them unique, authentic and valued by their communities; and Brent Cross Town will be no different. Clitterhouse Playing Fields is the green heart of our masterplan and will be designed to bring people together to enjoy its open space, provide a range of active and peaceful experiences, and realise its potential as an important contributor to biodiversity. We look forward to supporting GP+B in working with the local communities to transform this space for the benefit of all.”
Neil Porter, Partner at Gustafson Porter + Bowman, added, “Gustafson Porter + Bowman is delighted to be part of the ongoing Brent Cross Town redevelopment project. Clitterhouse Playing Fields is the scheme’s largest green space, and it will create an exciting opportunity for new play, sport and family facilities for the community. We will be developing a proposal that fits effortlessly into the existing landscape, but equally breathes new life into the neighbourhood. For all our projects, we seek to develop the ecology, biodiversity and sustainability, and these will be the foundation of our approach to Clitterhouse Playing Fields. Our highly experienced team of subconsultants will work with us to explore the challenges of the project, build a relationship with the local community and create a green, healthy and accessible environment for them and for Brent Cross Town.”
