About City & Country
Creating better places for future communities
City & Country are a local business to Stansted, having based their head offices there for over 20 years, they are proud to have worked with the local community over the years as a local employer, award winning developer and charity supporter. Many of their staff live in Stansted and the surrounding towns and villages of Uttlesford.
For the last 20 plus years City & Country have focused on conversion of large heritage buildings, such as Balls Park in Hertford, St Michaels in Braintree and the Galleries in Brentwood. They also work further afield with King Edward VII Estate in Midhurst and sites in London, Bath & Bristol. In the last 10 years they have expanded into development of new homes in Essex, initially West Field at St Osyth, and more recently Manningtree Park in Lawford. Projects range from developments of 50 to 500 homes.
The early work on the conversion of historic buildings and their surrounding landscape has taught them to look very carefully at the heritage and context of a site and develop schemes that are rooted in the history of the area and respond positively to their surroundings. The business is family owned and employs more than 150 people.
The opportunity to develop land so close to their offices, where many of their staff live, is an opportunity to create a scheme that responds to the local character, area and culture in a positive way. They wish to set a new standard for exceptional design in Uttlesford. If the planning application is successful City & Country intend to deliver all of the new homes themselves, the scheme will be highly sustainable and provide much needed affordable and private housing for the area.
Consultant team
Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios & Dutch Landscape Studio
City & Country have employed the Stirling prize winning architect Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios to design the village extensions in conjunction with local landscape architects Dutch Landscape Studio.
Stirling Prize-winning FCBStudios was founded to move architecture forward. That’s why, for over 40 years, they’ve been pushing boundaries in sustainable, democratic, and socially responsible design. By grounding everything they do in research and constantly seeking out fresh perspectives, they balance beauty and functionality in every space they create.
Dutch create spaces that delight, excite and enhance the experiences for all those who inhabit, work, learn or play among them. Their award winning team of talented designers focus on working alongside nature and reflecting it’s continual transition – creating better places for all.
Working with our communities
Committed to making a difference for people and place
City & Country play an active role in the communities we work in. We support various charities across the UK and are committed to making a difference.
In Essex, we are a long-time supporter of the Essex Wildlife Trust, which is the country’s leading conservation charity. The aim of the trust is the protect wildlife for the future and for the people of Essex.
City & Country recently donated a range of books to primary schools close to their developments in Essex, this was to recognise Roald Dahl Day, which celebrates the authors contribution to children’s literature, while encouraging young people to be excited about reading.
As part of the Manningtree Park development City & Country introduced 20 rare breed sheep to the development, they have already had visitors from the local schools to learn more about the sheep and have the opportunity to name some of them.
Case study
Manningtree Park
Manningtree Park is a recent development in Essex, providing a range of two to five-bedroom houses, surrounded by open countryside, between the rural towns of Manningtree, Mistley and Lawford. Inspired by our commitment to creating communities, Manningtree Park is a friendly community and a safe, welcoming village offering something for a variety of lifestyles.
Some of the community initiatives we have helped fund include:
Healthcare facilities
We recognise the importance of accessible healthcare services; we have allocated funding towards healthcare facilities in Mistley and Manningtree Parish. This investment will strengthen healthcare provisions, ensuring that residents have access to quality medical services within their locality.
Community amenities
It is important to us to create a space to promote wellbeing and community connections. The development will feature community hub for local residents to meet and enjoy.
Highway improvements
We will organise the implementation of new bus stops, access roads and cycle ways to improve accessibility for all.
A commitment to affordable housing
30% of homes will be affordable.
Case study
Sanderling Reach, Mersea Island
Sanderling Reach is a newly opened development in Essex, offering two-to-five-bedroom homes, with just a five minute walk to the beach. The development offers extensive parkland for neighbours to meet and for children to play, creating a cohesive community.
Each home is surrounded by significant landscaped open spaces, with rich biodiversity and planting. Sustainability has been at the heart of this development as it includes provision for electric vehicle charging, water conservation measures and energy efficient appliances throughout.
Case study
St. Osyth
St Osyth Priory is a new development in North Essex where our approach to restoring heritage was pivotal in creating the sustainable place it is for residents today.
The development is adjacent to multiple heritage buildings Its approach to landscape is what makes it unique; a circular walk has been created in the recently restored pasture, for residents to enjoy the countryside, and biodiversity enhancements have helped the local extensive wetland thrive. The St Osyth Priory Estate is a fully working estate complete with parkland where animals roam ~ amongst them, the iconic white deer. Our farm specialises in rearing rare breed and native livestock and is home to four-horned Manx Loaghtan sheep, Hebridean sheep and English Longhorn cattle.
Awards
Winners of the What House? 2024 Housebuilder of the year award
Last year, we won the WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year, as well as a number of UK Property Awards including Best Development in Essex for Manningtree Park, in addition to numerous awards won over previous years, highlighting the strong industry reputation we have built.