Northern Central Green, Handley Chase, Sleaford

Our approach

RDC was appointed by Sleaford Property Developments Limited to provide landscape design and planning services for Northern Central Green, a key public open space forming part of the wider Handley Chase masterplan. The space was designed to provide a high-quality recreational environment while supporting sustainable movement and community connectivity across the new development.

The green space links residential neighbourhoods with pedestrian and cycle routes running north to south across the site. It also provides direct connections to land reserved for the future Handley Chase Primary School, ensuring safe and convenient access for pupils, families, and local residents.

A central design feature of the scheme is the combined footpath and cycleway route, which creates two distinct character areas within the public open space. To the east, a generous area of open grassland provides flexible space for informal play, relaxation, and community use. To the west, more structured recreational facilities were introduced, including a Local Equipped Area of Play (LEAP) designed to cater for a wide range of age groups.

The formal play and recreation space features a variety of play equipment, seating areas, and a dedicated enclosed play space for younger children, carefully positioned to allow close parental supervision alongside the main LEAP facility. The design also incorporates a focal area intended for public art or sculpture, reinforcing the identity of the space as a central community destination.

RDC developed the landscape proposals through detailed consultation with the Local Planning Authority, ensuring planting species were selected to reflect current best practice guidance on climate resilience and long-term sustainability. Native and climate-resilient planting contributes to biodiversity enhancement while creating an attractive and durable landscape setting for residents and visitors.

Boundary treatments were selected to reflect the character of the surrounding residential development while clearly defining the edges of the public open space. These measures help create a safe and legible environment, particularly where the space interfaces with surrounding roads and residential streets.

Northern Central Green delivers an important recreational and ecological asset within the Handley Chase development, supporting community wellbeing, active travel, and long-term landscape quality as the new neighbourhood continues to grow.

Combining recreation, play, and sustainable travel routes, Northern Central Green creates a central community space that supports wellbeing, connectivity, and long-term environmental resilience.