Opened 80 years ago in 1941 the site, which is now home to our new development, once played a crucial part in the national war effort as an operational training unit for Bomber Command.
We’re pleased to acknowledge this heritage by incorporating honorary street names at Fernleigh Park that celebrate some of Long Marston Airfield’s bomber planes, like Whitley Grove, which has been named after the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley.
Decommissioned in 1954, the site has since been used for motorsports events and music festivals before falling into disuse in more recent years.
We are pleased to be reimagining this magnificent space into a carefully landscaped sustainable environment designed to integrate seamlessly with the existing green corridors which run alongside and around it.
Over 740 trees will be planted at Fernleigh Park within the 52 acres of open space, with many more included within the street boulevards and private gardens. More than 50 different tree species, including native, flowering and berry bearing varieties, are being incorporated, specially chosen to help wildlife habitats flourish, provide amazing seasonal colour and highlight the surrounding countryside views.
A community orchard will also be a key focal point for the development, featuring six species of plum, apple and pear trees. These orchard trees will offer pollinator friendly blossom and encourage wildlife, for example two particular species Prunus ‘Victoria’ and Pyrus 'Conference' are known for attracting bees, birds, butterflies/moths and other pollinators, with their nectar and pollen rich flowers. They also provide shelter and habitat, have seeds for birds and are caterpillar food plants.
These carefully considered planting decisions ensure that the Orchard provides for both residents and wildlife, particularly as it is set within a nectar and pollen rich grassland, with Wildflower and Wetland seeding covering a huge 61,482 square metres.
New areas of native shrub mixes will also be planted across the development to encourage biodiversity, comprising over 7000 plants including aquatic planting in the wildlife ponds and bulb planting to enhance the visual landscape even further.
The many open public spaces across Fernleigh Park have been designed to be multi-functional for recreational use. Supporting ecosystems has been an absolutely key feature of landscaping throughout.
Even grasslands have been considered to provide an amenity resource and wildlife habitat, with areas of species rich long grass, flowering lawn and wildflower meadow grassland featuring within the Orchard, while tussock grassland and grassland buffers will run alongside the existing trees/hedgerows.
The entrance to Fernleigh Park offers one of the most striking landscpaing featurs on offer - a 'Getaway' space which creates a distinctive green space linking o the green corridors and parkland across the development.
Here residents will be welcomed by sculptural earth mounding, arcs of trees and strong swathes of perennial and native planting along with a floral lawn. The Gateway intends to deliver a visually striking entrance combined with biodiversity enhancements including trees and a swale, shaped in an arc to complement the form of the apace and architectural frontage of the homes.
We really have worked tirelessly to create a special and unique new environment at Fernleigh Park which both respects the environment and creates a sustainable future-proof community.
To see for yourself how we’ve reimagined this former airfield, visit here.
