The location of Lansdowne Park on a plateau with expansive views of the Tararuas and close to the local golf course was a desirable location for a lifestyle community targeted at the 50 year plus market.

The design philosophy Tomlinson & Carruthers applied for the site was a close community with short walking distances to community facilities whilst maintaining views of the ranges and privacy. The team also designed a beautiful living environment taking advantage of the contours to fuse storm water to feed two landscaped lakes and minimizing erosion through the laying of walkways throughout the site.

The overall layout also minimized the amount of materials used for services such as roading, sewerage, electricity and phone. The roading layout and contours of the site allowed for the installation of an inconspicuous security system.

For more information about the Lansdowne Park Development, please visit the following link or view the plans and images below. Please click on the images to the left to view a closer look. 

A panoramic view of Lansdowne Park from the main entrance showing houses at various stages of completion with a backdrop of the Tararua Ranges.

A three dimensional perspective diagram of the storm water dam to the north of the Lansdowne Park development superimposed on a photograph of the site before construction commenced.

The most recent scheme plan of the Lansdowne Park Development.

Tomlinson & Carruthers approached the design in three phases:

1. The capabilities of the site - where one can build and the most efficient access to the site;
2. How to design an amenity that works within the site and beyond; and
3. The most environmentally efficient infrastructure to supply the site.

Working with a team of engineers, landscape architects and specialists the design incorporated the following features:

• A cluster arrangement of lots along spurs around a large farmed lot;
• Regenerated native vegetation to mitigate visual impact and provide amenity within the site;
• Integrated access corridor and storm water retention dam with pedestrian underpass/ storm water spillway;
• A communal sewerage treatment scheme with sub-surface drippers that irrigate native regeneration;
• A water supply scheme that also services the surrounding area;
• Community facilities and walkways through the site.

It is planned that the development will provide the amenity of a rural area without the obligations of maintaining a large landholding.

A scheme plan of the development. The lots look deceptively small but are all around 2000sqm. The farmpark optimizes the use of land while blending the clusters into the landscape.

 scheme plan of the entrance to the site. The design will result in an improved entrance to nearby sites and better alignment of the road to improve safety.

A 3d digital terrain model of the site.

The neighbouring lime quarry presented some interesting insights into the structure of the hill for civil and geotechnical engineers who assessed the site suitability for stability, stormwater and wastewater disposal.

The entrance road corridor was designed to minimise nuisance to neighbouring houses. The earth extracted will be used to form the dam wall keeping earthworks within the site as much as possible.

A panoramic photograph of the view from the site.

A scheme plan of the proposed landscaping for the development. The clustering of lots around the re-generated native vegetation will provide visual separation between lots while blending houses into the landscape to minimise visual impact. While the community lot provides social spaces blended into the landscape, the farmpark areas also provide access to open spaces not otherwise available to traditional lifestyle blocks.

The Club owns an envious property portfolio in an urban zoned area with 360 views of the Ruamahanga River valley and the Tararuas. An initial assessment and feasibility was presented to first the Board, then Committees and then all the members recommending an expanded course and new clubhouse funded by residential development along the urban road frontage. Sir Bob Charles then assessed the site and completed the first design to improve the course.

Tomlinson & Carruthers have completed a topographical survey of the site and will present a detailed feasibility to the Board for their consideration. Our team is enthusiastic about the future of the club and look forward to being there at Sir Bob Charles' tee-off.

Aerial photograph, topography and current layout of the course. Note the frontage the site has with urban roads.

Aerial photograph of the site with Masterton to the south of the site.

Each part of the course has panoramic views of the surrounding area. Beyond this green is a clearing able to include housing that will not disturb the views beyond the course.

A typical photograph of the Tararuas from the course. Much of the under-utilised rural zoned 'back paddock' has expansive 360 degree views of the Tararuas and Ruamahanga Valley.