Planning through partnership
From two very different perspectives, members of the Carter Jonas team describe how they delivered a complex scheme through an emphasis on collaboration.
When two councils, a private developer, and different landowners come together on a single site which includes an aqueduct, scheduled ancient monuments, a Roman road, ancient woodland, an industrial estate and operational council assets, the prospect of progress might seem remote. But at Brookfield, a £1bn growth scheme in Hertfordshire, Carter Jonas has successfully orchestrated the kind of collaboration that brings complexity under control.
The delivery of Brookfield Riverside and Brookfield Garden Village has relied not just on planning expertise but on diplomacy.
Paul Ellis and Jennifer Miles of Carter Jonas’s Town Centres Team have worked on behalf of the public sector clients, Broxbourne Borough Council and Hertfordshire County Council, for 10 years; Christopher Collett and the Planning Team have advised Sovereign Central for N years.
For Paul, Jenny and Chris, despite their clients’ differing circumstances and objectives, success depended upon building trust, managing competing interests and maintaining discipline over years of negotiation.
A single vision, many voices
Brookfield has been decades in the making. What began in the 1980s as a proposal for a retail park evolved into something far more ambitious: a combined town centre and garden suburb, co-delivered by public and private partners.
Brookfield Riverside will deliver retail, leisure, office and residential space. Brookfield Garden Village will provide 1,250 homes, a new primary school, neighbourhood centre, extra care facility and public services hub – all framed by an extensive network of green and active travel infrastructure.
Chris explains how the success of the project lies in its unity of purpose. “There were many times when it would have been easier to let the schemes drift apart,” he says. “But both sides recognised that their ambitions would only work if the developments were properly integrated – in movement, layout, infrastructure and character.”
Jenny agrees, “It’s the most complex governance arrangement I’ve worked with,” she says. “Even between the two councils, whilst both were focused on homes and growth, they had different land ownerships within the 400-acre site with different budgets and different roles. It was important to firstly keep a clear separation between the two councils as landowners/promotors and the council teams with statutory responsibilities for planning and highways. We then had to agree how the two councils as landowners would split the costs and officer time spent promoting Garden Village and Riverside, how ownerships would be reorganised, and how the end receipts would be shared. The two councils wanted to be aligned not just on principles, but on outcomes.”
Governance with clarity
For Jenny, the establishment of a formal governance structure was central to this approach. A joint member board was created, bringing together three representatives from each council. This created a forum for consistency even as political control changed: “Four out of six members have recently changed. But because we had agreed clear objectives from the start, we didn’t lose momentum.”
The Joint Member Board meets monthly with the councils’ most senior officers – including Broxbourne’s Chief Executive and Hertfordshire’s Deputy Chief Executive supported by Carter Jonas. There was also a formal collaboration agreement setting out shared expenditure and expected outcomes.
At a time when local authority budgets are under extreme pressure, this upfront investment was not taken lightly. “Councils are in a really difficult position,” says Jennifer. “They’re being asked to unlock housing and jobs to fund investment and growth, whilst a large percentage of their budgets are taken up in social care costs alone. Political backing was essential. The Chief Executive and Deputy Chief were really strong leaders, and they brought the members with them.”
Public and private, working in tandem
The scheme also benefitted from a strong relationship between the public and private sector clients, which had a different approach to funding decisions. While local authorities must make spending decisions within the constraints of transparency and political oversight, the private sector can invest at pace where there is a clear return.
“Sovereign Centros were very pragmatic,” says Chris. “They didn’t delay based on market conditions, and they were very solution-focused. We had monthly co-ordination meetings between all parties and, crucially, we shared information early to avoid surprises.”
This approach was tested during the planning process. Just as outline permission was granted for Brookfield Riverside, Historic England scheduled a Roman road running through the Garden Village site, raising new heritage concerns. There were also sensitive negotiations with a traveller community occupying part of the site.
“We worked with dozens of statutory bodies,” says Jennifer. “They include National Highways, the Environment Agency, Historic England and there were many more consultees. But we built up relationships and used our understanding of the local government process to keep things moving.”
One scheme, many foundations
Despite the complexity – two schemes, three major landowners, multiple clients and stakeholders – the Brookfield vision has remained remarkably consistent. “That’s the real testament to good planning,” says Christopher. “The scheme has been refined, but it hasn’t fundamentally changed. That tells you that the foundations were sound from the start.”
Planning consent is now in place for Brookfield Riverside. Consent for the Garden Village is expected following the completion of the Section 106 agreement [Note: this may be in place before the article is published]. Together, the two schemes will deliver a new centre for Broxbourne, thousands of new homes and jobs, and an enduring piece of public infrastructure.
For Carter Jonas, it is an excellent example of what can be achieved when clients – and consultants – commit to genuine collaboration.
Case study 1: Brookfield Riverside: a new heart for Broxbourne
Brookfield Riverside has taken a major step forward following the signing of the Section 106 agreement and the granting of outline planning permission. The decision marks a milestone moment in the transformation of this strategically located site into a vibrant new town centre for the Borough of Broxbourne.
Carter Jonas, on behalf of developer Sovereign Centros, has played a leading role in the planning process for Brookfield Riverside. The £500 million, mixed-use regeneration project is one of the most significant new developments in the south-east and represents a rare opportunity to create a town centre from the ground up, in line with long-term local planning ambitions.
A vision defined by the Local Plan
Brookfield Riverside is a key part of the wider Brookfield masterplan, which also includes a new Garden Village. The site is allocated in the Broxbourne Local Plan 2018-2033, adopted in 2020 following independent examination, and its development will deliver on a number of strategic aims set out in the plan.
The outline consent paves the way for delivery of a new civic and commercial centre offering up to 315,000 sq ft of retail space, 250,000 sq ft of leisure floorspace, and 160,000 sq ft of offices. These include a new civic hub and a mix of bars, restaurants and a cinema, positioned to support a thriving evening economy.
The scheme also includes 250 homes, 100 assisted living units, and a 2,000-space car park, as well as extensive public realm enhancements, biodiversity improvements and active travel infrastructure. Once built, it will support 2,500 jobs and generate a further 2,000 during construction.
Crucially, Brookfield Riverside has been designed to create a cohesive and vibrant urban centre that integrates with the surrounding retail. The development will connect into the neighbouring M&S and Tesco stores, currently part of an existing retail park, as well as into the wider area via improved public transport links, active travel routes and upgraded A10 underpasses.
Public realm at the heart of the scheme
From its earliest stages, the design of Brookfield Riverside has placed public realm and landscaping at the heart of the proposal. The New River – constructed in 1613 to supply fresh drinking water to London – will provide a visual focal point and public amenity. Streets, squares and active frontages have been designed to draw people into and through the site, while also maximising natural surveillance and creating a sense of place.
Across the full Brookfield scheme, over 14km of pedestrian and cycle routes are planned, with connectivity designed to serve the development itself, as well as the wider area. A 10% biodiversity net gain will be delivered through planting and landscaping, in line with local and national policy.
A major private sector investment in place-making
Carter Jonas has provided strategic and detailed planning advice to Sovereign Centros since 2019. Working alongside Lyons Sleeman Hoare Architects, EIA consultants Waterman, and transport specialists Mayer Brown, the planning team led a wide-ranging programme of engagement with local authority officers and other stakeholders. The application was submitted in September 2022 and a resolution to grant was achieved in June 2023, with the Section 106 agreement signed and outline consent secured in early 2025.
Planning for long-term economic impact
With an annual forecast footfall of 15 million and a catchment of 1.5 million people across nearly 600,000 households, Brookfield Riverside is expected to become a major retail and leisure destination. Over half of the commercial floorspace is already subject to advanced discussions, demonstrating market confidence in the scheme.
With relocation of Council assets now underway and a delivery framework in place, Brookfield Riverside is positioned to become one of the south east’s most significant regeneration success stories.
Case study 2: Brookfield Garden Village: a 21st century garden suburb for Hertfordshire
Planning-led placemaking to deliver homes, green infrastructure and social value
Brookfield Garden Village, a joint initiative by Broxbourne Borough Council and Hertfordshire County Council, will deliver 1,250 new homes as part of a comprehensively planned 400-acre neighbourhood.
Working on behalf of both councils, Carter Jonas has provided strategic consultancy support throughout the masterplanning and planning stages, with Partners Paul Ellis and Jennifer Miles leading the project team.
A green, modern interpretation of the garden village ideal
Inspired by the principles set out over a century ago by Ebenezer Howard, Brookfield Garden Village is designed to provide not only new housing, but also integrated local infrastructure and generous green spaces. The masterplan includes a new three-form-entry primary school, an Extra Care facility, a neighbourhood centre, a Blue Light Services Hub, and a series of walking and cycling routes to promote active travel.
Land is in joint Council ownership, which has enabled a comprehensive and co-ordinated approach to land use and delivery. The site’s scale has allowed it to accommodate not only homes and community infrastructure, but also essential operational land uses including a new household waste recycling centre, depot and traveller site.
Importantly, the site layout and infrastructure framework have been planned in tandem with the adjacent Brookfield Riverside retail and leisure development, providing residents of the garden village with immediate access to a new town centre, as well as seamless transport and active travel connections between the two sites.
Responding to post-pandemic preferences
The inclusion of extensive green infrastructure has been a guiding principle for the scheme from the outset. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people perceive and use public open spaces, with many home workers now placing a greater value on access to green space for physical and mental wellbeing.
The team has worked to ensure that open space and leisure opportunities are embedded in the layout of the new village. Residents will benefit from extensive planting and landscaped areas, with a focus on walkability and accessibility. Footpaths, cycle routes and recreational routes will provide safe and convenient links across the site and into the wider area.
The importance of this infrastructure is not only social but also economic. Research by the national land management charity the Land Trust has calculated that the social and economic value of green spaces on its sites amounts to nearly £394 million. Brookfield Garden Village has embraced this philosophy, treating open space not as a residual land use, but as a key part of long-term social value creation.
Delivering homes and infrastructure for Broxbourne
At its core, the Garden Village is a response to both local and national need. The 1,250 new homes (22% of which are affordable housing) will help meet rising demand for homes in Hertfordshire. Unlike many commuter-focused schemes, Brookfield aims to offer a complete place to live, work and play.
Residents will have access not only to the new town centre amenities of Brookfield Riverside, but also to local services such as the neighbourhood centre and community infrastructure. The scheme is intended to reduce the need for residents to travel outside the borough for everyday shopping and leisure, making it more sustainable and more resilient to economic shocks.
An exemplar of public-private partnership
Brookfield Garden Village sits at the intersection of public ownership, private investment and local need. Its masterplanning has required a strategic view of infrastructure, housing delivery and environmental quality, supported by strong political leadership and planning expertise.
Alongside Brookfield Riverside, the Garden Village forms part of a new civic and economic centre for the borough. While the town centre is expected to generate around 2,500 jobs and attract a forecast footfall of 15 million visitors annually, the Garden Village ensures that the benefits of that growth are rooted in a residential community with long-term value.
