Springhead Park, Ebbsfleet
Springhead Park, previously referred to as the Northfleet Rise Quarter during its early planning stages, is an English mixed-use residential development located in Ebbsfleet Garden City, part of the Ebbsfleet Valley in Gravesend, Kent. Situated adjacent to Ebbsfleet International Station, it was the first residential area to be developed as part of the larger Ebbsfleet Garden City project. According to Ebbsfleet Development Corporation materials, the approved scheme provides 799 new homes together with community facilities – notably the Eastgate Church & Community Centre and Springhead Park Primary School – and extensive public open space.
History
The Springhead Park area has a long history of human use. In antiquity it was known as Vagniacis in Roman Britain, centred on a springhead and temple complex. The remnants of a Roman temple and community were buried beneath farmland. By the early 19th century the site was a swampy but spring-fed area. In 1805 the north-west corner of the site was converted into a commercial watercress plantation, exploiting the clear springs. The Treadwell family farmed the land for about 300 years, managing the cress beds and garden attractions. During the Victorian era this became a popular leisure destination and nursery.In the late 19th century, however, extensive chalk extraction for cement works nearby lowered the water table. Around 1900 the springs dried up, which destroyed the watercress cultivation. With watercress no longer viable, the gardens closed and the land reverted to ordinary farmland. In the mid-20th century small hamlets and prefabricated houses were built off Springhead Road, but these were later demolished. By the early 2000s the land was largely vacant fields, forming the open site that was taken forward for development.
Archaeology and Heritage
The Springhead site has yielded extensive archaeological finds. It lies on or near a major Roman temple complex at the source of the Ebbsfleet river. Archaeologists found tens of thousands of artifacts from the Middle Palaeolithic through medieval periods. The Roman temple area was particularly rich; rural temples and a spring sanctuary made this a major Iron Age/Roman religious centre in Kent. During Springhead Bridge construction further finds were uncovered, including an iron Roman-era ear-cleaner and tweezers and Saxon-period pottery sherds. A timbers fragment was recovered from waterlogged ground and is being conserved in wax to preserve it. The archaeological importance has been noted in design of the project and in local historical literature. These discoveries underscore the long heritage of Springhead Park well before its modern development.Development
Planning for Springhead Park was conducted jointly by Gravesham Borough Council and later by the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation. Gravesham adopted a masterplan for the “Northfleet Rise Quarter” in 2003, and approved a detailed Quarters Masterplan in April 2008. The development is led by Countryside Properties, in partnership with land-owners and public agencies. Construction began in the mid-2000s; the first-phase marketing suite and show homes opened in March 2008, with move-ins following in late 2008. By September 2008 over 50% of the initial homes were reserved. The final build-out will ultimately provide on the order of 600–800 homes, reflecting the outline consent. As of the 2020s about 799 homes were planned, along with a church, community centre, health and sports facilities, and the primary school.Delivery is phased over many years. When complete, Springhead Park will include Springhead Park Primary School & Nursery, and a range of green spaces. A substantial landscaped linear park along the Ebbsfleet River corridor was incorporated into the design, and central parkland with trees and meadows. Aside from housing, no major retail or office blocks are on-site. Residents’ services and estate maintenance are provided by a private management company, funded by estate service charges.
Governance and Planning
Springhead Park is part of the Ebbsfleet Garden City, a designated growth area under successive government policies requiring substantial new housing. The Ebbsfleet Development Corporation was established in 2015 by the UK government as a Development Corporation to accelerate delivery of up to 15,000 homes in Ebbsfleet. At that time, statutory planning powers for Ebbsfleet passed from Gravesham to the EDC, which now serves as the local planning authority for Springhead Park. EDC's corporate plan emphasizes fast delivery of infrastructure, high design quality and sustainability in the Garden City.Before EDC, Gravesham Borough Council consulted on the Springhead masterplan and outline approvals. In 2008 Gravesham approved the Northfleet Rise Quarter Master Plan on 17.2 ha. Following this, specific planning applications were granted for phase-by-phase development of Springhead Park. In public consultation documents, Springhead Park's street layout, parks and community plots were discussed with local stakeholders. Community input was received via public exhibitions and through EDC design panels. Stakeholders in the project include Gravesham Borough Council, Kent County Council, the Springhead Nurseries, existing local parishes, housing developers, and residents.
Planning and design
Springhead Park is a residential area in Ebbsfleet Valley. It was the first part of the Ebbsfleet Garden City project, which set out to build homes, schools and shops near major transport links. Work started in 2006, and the first homes were ready in March 2008. The development includes different types of homes, public parks and community buildings such as schools and shops. It was designed to use energy and land carefully and to fit in with roads, utilities and other services already in place.The wider Ebbsfleet Valley is expected to take between 20 and 25 years to develop fully. The Ebbsfleet International Station opened in November 2007, marking a key milestone in the region's development, and the new high-speed commuter service from Ebbsfleet to St. Pancras commenced in December 2009, with advanced preview services already running.
The development was designed by CHBC Architects, with Land Securities and Countryside Properties acting as the developers. Peter Brett Associates played a key role in the planning, design, and implementation of the infrastructure over a period of 13 years. They contributed to the design of the strategic infrastructure, including off-site highway improvements, a new 87m span bridge over the Ebbsfleet River, and Fastrack bus provision, among other elements. The infrastructure strategy also included environmental and archaeological mitigation measures to ensure sustainability and minimal disruption to the surrounding environment.
Infrastructure and Transport
Springhead Park has been designed with strong transport links:Springhead Bridge
The centerpiece is the Springhead Bridge, an 87-metre-long road bridge opened in 2020. It carries two traffic lanes plus a separated footway and cycle path, and was built to link Springhead Park directly with the A2260 Ebbsfleet Gateway. Springhead Bridge dramatically improved connectivity: it cut the walk from Springhead Park to Ebbsfleet International Station from about 20 minutes down to roughly 7 minutes. The bridge was procured under a collaborative framework with high precision The bridge was commissioned by the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation and delivered through the SCAPE National Civil Engineering and Infrastructure framework. The total project cost was £16 million, funded by the EDC. Arcadis provided programme management, procurement support, cost planning, and technical advisory services. The land for the bridge was contributed by Countryside Properties and Ebbsfleet Investment GP Limited.| Date | Milestone |
| November 2017 | Preparatory groundworks commenced. |
| May 2018 | Main construction began, led by Balfour Beatty. |
| September 2019 | Installation of the first set of beams. |
| Spring 2020 | Bridge construction completed. |
| July 2020 | Bridge opened to the public. |
Public transport is provided in part by the Fastrack bus rapid transit network. Route B of Fastrack runs through Springhead Park, with bus stops at Eastgate and along Springhead Road. This provides frequent links to Ebbsfleet International Station and local towns. In addition, Northfleet railway station on the North Kent Line offers Southeastern commuter services. Ebbsfleet International provides high-speed trains to London St Pancras and continental destinations. Thus Springhead Park is strategically placed for rail commuting.
Local road access is via Springhead Road and Wingfield Bank/Temple Hill to the A2 southbound. The adjacent A2260 Ebbsfleet Gateway dual carriageway further improves road access north–south without going through town. Cycle and pedestrian routes are integrated: for example, Springhead Park links into the Ebbsfleet Linear Park corridor along the river, and new foot/cycle paths were added across Wingfield Bank. A small pedestrian bridge at the southeast corner of Springhead Park provides a walking route Linear Park South, part of Springhead Park.
Facilities
Parks and open spaces
Springhead Park includes extensive public open spaces. Penn Green Park is a one-hectare local park created in the first phase of development. It is the main park for Springhead Park and includes open lawns and a children's playground. In addition, the scheme provides a Linear Park running through the estate, offering a green corridor with walking routes. The development also encompasses several play areas and playgrounds. Planning documents additionally envisioned a small River Park along the River Ebbsfleet in the centre of the site, though this appears to be a future proposal rather than a completed facility.- Penn Green Park: A roughly one-hectare landscaped park with open grass areas and play equipment.
- Linear Park: A long, narrow park corridor running east–west through Springhead Park. The community garden and other facilities have entrances directly from this Linear Park.
- River Park : A proposed riverside park along the Ebbsfleet river, shown in early plans as a “River Park” or pocket park.