Apley-Estate-Vision-Doc

The Apley Plan Delivering a Sustainable Vision

THE APLEY PLAN | DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE VISION The Apley Plan sets out to develop the Apley Estate as a long term commercial enterprise while fostering strong communities, improving the local & wider environment & cherishing its distinctive landscape & historical heritage. Lord Hamilton of Dalziel 2

At the Apley Estate, our vision is to create and sustain a modern, thriving community for everyone that lives, works and visits here. The Apley Estate has been present since the Domesday Book and is located in the county of Shropshire close to the historic market town of Bridgnorth. As a trusted custodian of over 8,500 acres of land we are passionate about retaining and preserving both its natural beauty and historical value. Our long-standing relationship with the land, its people and the rural way of life gives us a unique perspective, enabling us to invest wisely for a future that reflects our long-held traditional values, while embracing all that modern technology has to offer. The Apley Plan covers every aspect of life on the estate. The following pages outline just some of the exciting ideas we are putting into practice. We are convinced that by working together with the estate community, we can make this bold vision a reality for generations to come. The estate team is always ready to listen to suggestions and new ideas so please get in touch – we would be delighted to hear from you. 3

THE APLEY PLAN | DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE VISION  Apley life Apley is home to some 800 We are also aware of the changing needs people. We own and manage of our tenants and are taking steps to 300 properties across the Estate ensure that we can cater for as wide a from affordable homes and cross section as possible. We are adapting cottages through to detached, our existing properties for 21st Century family country properties. living and creating new homes to meet the diverse needs of our community from The estate provides homes, creates job those starting out with their first home opportunities and gives a lifetime to those in later life. commitment to its tenants. We will deliver high quality development In our rapidly changing world, Apley across the Estate that reflects its special is committed to reducing our carbon landscape and rural heritage. We will build footprint and targeting net zero. We will homes that support the continued long- continue to invest in greener energy, term success of Apley, Bridgnorth and improve water, soil and air quality and Shropshire as a whole. encourage greater biodiversity. Working together, we will foster stronger Our rolling programme of refurbishment communities by creating jobs, encouraging ensures that all homes are maintained to and facilitating healthy living and making very high standards and we are actively Apley a place where people feel not only upgrading each one to improve energy at home but also that they belong. efficiency and cut carbon. 4

5

THE APLEY PLAN | DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE VISION 6

Properties to Our tenants matter to us. We are working with parish be proud of, Many have lived with us councils and communities homes for life all of their lives. They are across the estate to identify our partners; the long- housing needs and locate term custodians of our potential sites where these beautiful houses. can be met sustainably. In the last 15 years, we With significant housing have fully renovated need in Bridgnorth and over 100 homes and are wider Shropshire, we working with specialist are working with the builders to improve the local authority and other energy performance agencies to bring high- of every property. This quality, desirable and has the double benefit affordable homes across of making the homes the estate. Our aim is significantly cheaper to run to provide homes for while substantially cutting the whole community – our carbon emissions. young and old; first-time By 2025, all our homes will occupants and families have energy performance to ensure a long-term assessments that exceed future for us all. government standards. In Norton, we are building four semi-detached Lifetime Standard Homes for the local people that need them most. 7

THE APLEY PLAN | DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE VISION Apley at work Apley thrives thanks to the The Estate is currently home to 40 passion, skills and commitment businesses from start-ups, farmers, of the people who work here. manufacturers, independent retailers, hospitality companies through to craft A dynamic rural economy can be home to a ale brewers. vast range of businesses, support a diverse range of employment opportunities and a We want to see these businesses thrive. wide range of skills and specialisms. We are already investing in many of them as well as in the infrastructure to support Each year, we invest more than £1million them. We will continue to do this as well as to support commercial ventures across encourage new enterprises appropriate to the Estate. our local heritage. We are committed to: Providing good quality commercial space suitable for a range of business Developing the skills of our people and needs to attract new companies and providing opportunities and training for investors to the area. career progression. Working with existing tenant businesses Extending our long-standing to realise their commercial plans by apprenticeship programme that making investments to help them flourish. provides vocational training for local people across a range of skilled roles – from carpentry to catering. 8

9

THE APLEY PLAN | DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE VISION 10

Driving Through a partnership We have refurbished farm the local with specialist provider, buildings in Crowgreaves to economy Airband and Switch on provide new, high-quality Shropshire, we have office space for Imperial delivered the potential Brick Ltd – a business for all businesses on the that has grown on the estate to access wireless estate from five to high-speed broadband. 50 employees. With one of our tenants, We employ 75 people we’re investing in a across the estate in jobs local business providing ranging from catering and Free Range eggs to butchery to carpentry and supermarkets and the gamekeeping. Apley Farm Shop. Apley Farm Shop Apley has always had a courtyard is home to six strong community focus independent retailers. supporting a number of The Farm Shop cafe small businesses and provides local jobs and start-ups and assisting supplied local produce with their growth. keeping food miles to a minimum. Meat sourced from the Estate is expertly prepared by the resident Apley Butcher. 11

THE APLEY PLAN | DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE VISION Apley & our environment Caring for the environment is a Our 1,000 acres of woodland captures crucial part of ensuring a better large amounts of carbon, and is carefully future for everyone. managed through a ten-year rolling management plan developed with and We look after the parkland, farmland and approved by Forestry England. We operate forestry across the estate responsibly and a ten-year Higher Level Stewardship with a keen focus on the ecological impact Agreement to improve the quality and of our activities. diversity of this woodland which brings added benefits to both flora and fauna. On the 2500 acres of land which we farm we preserve and improve the long term fertility Given its long and illustrious history, it is of our soils using a traditional mixed farming no surprise that the Estate is home to a system ensuring a continuous cycle of number of important historical sites and returning organic matter to the soils. buildings. We work closely with heritage experts to manage these important We are committed to improving biodiversity. elements of Bridgnorth’s past. We have maintained hedges and grass margins over time and plant crops for wildlife We actively look for ways to re-purpose including birdseed and pollen mixes to our redundant buildings without changing enable our local wildlife to flourish alongside their original design. This means that farm modern farming operations. Our historic and other buildings are effectively recycled parkland boasts numerous veteran trees, and put to productive use while retaining traditional grasses and other flora. their character and external appearance. As well as reducing our carbon footprint, we are actively improving soil health and water quality and are trialling new crops across the estate that reduce soil erosion and require fewer fertilisers. Our commitments: Reduce waste and target net zero carbon. Improve ecological standards Improve air and water quality for across the estate and increasing residents and business. natural capital. Improve soil quality across our farmland. Increase the quality, quantity and diversity of flora and fauna. 12

13

THE APLEY PLAN | DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE VISION 14

Caring for We will enhance By using animal manure the natural biodiversity across the from our own farms, we estate through a range cut down on the amount of world of measures including a chemical fertilisers we use new forestry management on the land. Waste from Apley plan which will see the Free Range Eggs provides an replacement dense excellent nutrient for the soil plantations with managed and keeps transport and road woodlands of native species. mileage down to a minimum. We are actively exploring We are committed to ways to improve and improving soil quality. extend wildlife habitats We are trialling new crops throughout Apley. We are across our estate which working with ecological reduce soil erosion and organisations to improve require fewer fertilisers. biodiversity across the Estate. Apley has always In 2006, together with pioneered the reuse and Shropshire Council, we recycling of materials re-opened the old Bridgnorth including building waste to Coalport railway line and plastic. as a bridlepath with fantastic views of the River Severn. Apley Farm Shop is This also forms part of National seeking to reduce Cycle Route 45 and is another plastic use in packaging. example of how Apley uses its By sourcing from trusted land for the wider benefit of local suppliers, we are the community. significantly reducing food miles and helping to cut carbon. 15

THE APLEY PLAN | DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE VISION Preserving Apley has plans to Apley has been home to our historic sympathetically and seven generations of the sustainably restore same family. A programme landscape all of its historic of preserving and buildings and put archiving historical them back into use. records and important artworks is underway. Tree Planting in Apley We will share interesting Park using native findings with the species will maintain community to enrich our the special character understanding of Apley and of the landscaped its rural way of life down parkland, representing through the centuries. a continuous cycle or renewal and enhancing We are working to build biodiversity. a social archive by interviewing our older, We are carefully longer standing tenants restoring the parkland to record their experiences across the estate to and knowledge of reflect original 18th the estate that would century designs. otherwise be lost. 16

17

THE APLEY PLAN | DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE VISION 18

Apley at leisure Apley’s success owes much to its The Apley Farm Shop attracts visitors attraction as a leisure destination from all over Shropshire to Telford, and its location near the River Wolverhampton and beyond. As well as Severn and bustling Georgian selling the very best in locally sourced town of Bridgnorth. produce, it is a vibrant home for independent retailers, a popular café Quality of life, health and wellbeing are and offers a wide range of indoor and part and parcel of the Apley way of life, outdoor family activities. from the trails that we have opened up along the Severn and through the Estate, to the many clubs and teams that are based on Apley land. At the heart of the community: We actively support local community events and activities and are looking A pley Farm Shop Village is home to to expand this in the coming years. nature trails, a seasonal maize maze, a children’s playbarn, a café, a farm animal We are landlord and friends to park, a dog park and Apley equestrian Bridgnorth Cricket, Bowls, Golf, Tennis arena and many other local independent and Hockey clubs and Norton Bowls club. attractions. The annual Spookley pumpkin festival is one of many creative The Apley Challenge raised £10,000 family events that take place here. over three years for Stockton Church. There are miles of well-maintained The allotments we provide across footpaths running along the River the Estate are much in demand and Severn and through the estate. a positive, creative activity for community wellbeing. The Skylark Nature Trail at Apley Farm Shop gives visitors the opportunity to take a stroll in the beautiful Shropshire countryside. 19

The Old School Norton, Nr Shifnal Shropshire TF11 9ED 01952 582770 [email protected] apleyestate.co.uk