As part of our promise to create better places to live, we’re designing our developments to provide opportunities for residents to get to know each other and for communities to grow together and thrive.
With “community” chosen as the theme for New Homes Week 2025 (3rd – 9th February) by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) we wanted to shine a spotlight on what goes into creating developments that foster a strong sense of community living.
Developments designed for communities
When we design great places to live, we focus on the needs and aspirations of you – the people who will live there.
That’s why we include plenty of green spaces at all our developments, to be enjoyed by people and nature alike such as village greens, play areas, wildlife habitats, nature trails and parkland.
As part of our larger developments and garden villages, we also plan schools, shops, pubs, and local facilities to create cohesive and sustainable neighbourhoods.
Why is community important?
To understand why community and neighbourhoods are so important, we spoke to Kevin Parker, our master planning director, and Professor Helen Dodd, a children's psychologist.
Kevin said: “We strive to build amazing places that deliver a sense of community and a better way to live. We take a holistic, ‘listen to learn’ approach, when designing our communities and ensure that the engagement and community connection doesn’t stop once the final brick is laid. But we want to do more. We want to help people connect, feel safe, and enjoy the communities we create. Getting outside to play is one of the best ways to connect.
“Whether it’s a play park, a walking track, a community garden bed, or a bench to watch the world go by. In new communities like ours, these play areas and community spaces are more important than ever.”
From placemaking to playmaking
As part of our playmaking campaign over the last two years we have taken a stand for play, recognising it as a key builder of community spirit for people of all ages, and a way to grow children’s confidence.
Kevin added: “Getting outside to play is one of the best ways to connect. It provides the building blocks for children’s confidence and gives them an opportunity to learn about the world around them. Parents meet other parents. Foster their friendships over a swing, a coffee in the park or kicking a ball in the field.”
Helen Dodd is a professor of child psychology at Exeter Medical School. Helen focuses on the importance and impact of play for young people. She has been helping us to design more family-friendly communities that promote play since 2023.
She said: “In light of worryingly high rates of mental health problems and obesity in children and young people, it is vital that children and their families are able to access interesting, good quality spaces for play. In truly child-friendly communities, children can gradually spread their wings and have everyday adventures in their neighbourhood as they grow up.
“There are places where toddlers and their parents and carers can find fun things to do as soon as they step outside their front door. Where kids can walk, bike or scoot to school, their friends’ houses or the local park without having to cross busy roads. And where there are spaces for teens to spend time with friends whilst feeling welcome and part of their communities.”
Helen believes homebuilders must prioritise play in new communities. She added: “With many children now growing up unable to walk to parks and green spaces where they can play, developers have an increasingly important role to play in providing these spaces. I am excited to continue working with Redrow to help them create new communities where children can grow up playing outdoors like their grandparents and parents did before them.”
How Redrow builds community spirit
To ensure every new build development we create becomes a thriving community, we follow these eight principles, known as ‘The Redrow 8’:
- We listen to learn. Our new homes are designed around the needs of the surrounding community and what new homeowners are looking for. This helps us to design sensitively and respond to local needs.
- We keep it local. Every area has its own sense of identity. We embrace the individual makeup of a neighbourhood in the design of all our developments.
- We make places easy to get around. Life is much simpler when you’re well-connected to the places you want to go. We create new walking and cycling routes for a happier, healthier way of life.
- We create places to go and things to do. There’s so much more to our developments than just new homes - like playgrounds, allotments, outdoor gyms and nature trails (to name a few!).
- We provide nature for people. Developments incorporate wildlife habitats. So there’s always a green space nearby where you can immerse yourself in nature - which is proven to boost your mood!
- We design streets for life. We take time designing our streets, homes and landscaping to be safe and friendly, so people can feel proud of their neighbourhood.
- We build homes for all. By providing a variety of homes on our developments, from one to five-bedroom homes, we’re helping to create diverse, vibrant and sustainable communities.
- We build to impress. We create stunning entrances and distinctive new homes with superb kerb appeal and interest around every corner - from our classic Heritage Collection to the modern Inspired Collection.
New homes designed for modern living
It is by following the Redrow 8 principles that we build every one of our new homes communities. Our Heritage Collection homes sit perfectly within or alongside established cities, towns and villages, thanks to their blend of traditional architecture and contemporary interiors, designed for modern living.
Our Heritage homes take their exterior design cues from the Arts and Crafts era, which emphasised skill and creativity of individual craftspeople. The Arts and Crafts influence can be seen in many character homes from later periods too, especially the 1920s and 1930s, which still prove popular today.
Characterful features include bay windows, hipped roofs, dropped-eaves, decorative tiling and brickwork, canopies above doorways and the use of timber.
Inside, however, our homes deliver the very best of modern interior design, with higher ceilings, taller than average windows and doors, and a host of in-built measures which place them among the most energy efficient homes available.
Sustainable new homes
Building a sustainable home is central to our ethos, and you’ll find eco-friendly houses in all of our developments. In 2023 we became the first large housebuilder to introduce air source heat pumps and underfloor heating as standard across upcoming developments nationwide. Our gas-free ‘Eco Electric’ specification will give thousands the chance to live in more energy efficient communities, that are ‘zero-carbon ready’ for when the National Grid is decarbonised.
Added benefits for customers include ground floor underfloor heating as standard in all designs which is not only desirable but works well with heat pumps and complements our open-plan designs, reducing the need for as many radiators.
Our Eco Electric range won the Gold Award for Best Energy Efficient Homes at the 2024 WhatHouse? Awards.
Redrow communities
Alconbury Weald
Just north of Huntingdon, in Cambridgeshire lies Alconbury Weald. Built on the site of the former airbase, RAF Alconbury, this community offers residents somewhere to work, learn, rest and play.
In total, the consortium development will deliver approximately 5,000 homes and we’re building 446 of those across two earlier phases of the scheme.
The wider site will feature over 600 acres of open space, woodlands and parks. Residents will also have access to brand new schools, sports pitches, a health centre and cafes, which will all be part of the development.
Woodford Garden Village
Woodford Garden Village in Cheshire, has been designed in keeping with the original garden cities of the early 20th century. A former aerodrome site, new homes are surrounded by acres of open spaces, including woodlands, linear parks and a traditional village green. The new village also has its own primary school, with a local centre featuring shops, and social facilities underway. A new pub, The Aviator, opened its doors in 2018.
Redrow community funds are another way we look to support and integrate with our new neighbours, supporting local charities, groups and not-for-profit organisations with their amazing work within the locality. In Woodford, for example, we have voluntarily donated £40,000 to local good causes through several rounds of community funding since the development’s launch.
Find your nearest Redrow development to find your dream home and join a thriving community.
