Monksmoor Park: A Distinctive Character

Monksmoor Park is a new community of up to 1,000 homes set in countryside just outside Daventry, Northamptonshire. The development borders the Grand Union Canal, Country Park and a reservoir, and over half the development will consist of green spaces, including an extension to the Country Park.

The distinctive character of this new community will be defined by green spaces, including woodland, allotments, ponds and play areas. These amenities will be supported by a strategy for the long-term management and maintenance of the spaces and the promotion of a range of lifestyle choices for residents.

There is already plenty of evidence of the community and the local environment coming together. Rescuing ducklings, unveiling Monksmoor’s very own public piece of art and opening the Daisy View play park are just a few of the recent activities.

As managing agents for Monksmoor Park, Preim:

• Employs a community mobiliser, who helps to engage and empower local residents – so they have a say over the direction of their community
• Maintains and manages green spaces – including grassland, open spaces and woodland
• Maintains ponds, play areas, pathways, cycleways and fencing
• Manages the administration and collection o of service charges for the Community Interest Company
• Handles estate management repairs
• Delivering an exclusive, residents-only, community app

Always keen to explore new ways of engaging modern communities, Preim also recently introduced an exclusive, residents-only Monksmoor Park app.

The app aims to provide a means for the Monskmoor Park community to be able to readily communicate with each other, with Preim, as the community’s managing agent, and other stakeholders. With an array of features, the app includes:

• A forum where residents can ask questions or chat about topics of their choice
• A place to report issues with communal amenities maintained by Preim, via the Monksmoor Park Community Interest Company
• An events calendar, with details of upcoming community events
• A list of useful contacts, from Crest Nicholson to the local leisure centre
• News from Crest Nicholson with everything from school initiatives to development updates

Since launch, the app has seen more and more residents engaging with the technology – engaging with Preim via the reporting feature or speaking with one another via the forum. Yet, the app will continue to be developed and adapted to the community’s need – in accordance with the community ownership model in place at Monksmoor Park.

For example, in the future it is hoped that the app will be used to book space at the development’s community centre. The app is designed, and will continue to be developed, to help residents make more efficient use of the physical amenities at Monksmoor Park – a fundamental feature of smart villages.

At Preim, we work closely with developers to ingrain technology into the fundamental infrastructure of a development – whether that is looking at ways to tap into renewable energy or adopting technology to assist with community mobilisation – we support their vision for a smart village, town or city.

If you are a developer, keen to learn more about a community-ownership model, growing community engagement, or green space management and placemaking initiatives, please give us a call or drop us an email.