Vistry Thames Valley welcomed 16 attendees to the Women in Planning networking session held at the development’s sales centre and show home on Thursday (16 November).
Vistry Group Senior Planning Manager and Co-Chair of Women in Planning Thames Valley Alice Davidson, who organised the event, gave a presentation to the group about Buckler’s Park, which is being built on the former Transport Research Laboratory site.
She said: “I was delighted to host Women in Planning Thames Valley’s first show home event. It was a fantastic opportunity to network with professionals from across the sector and to see how all the hard work at planning stage delivers high-quality homes on key strategic sites such as this.”
Guests included planning and highways consultants. Vistry Thames Valley marketing manager Alix Laflin, planning manager Caroline Belmont, and sales consultant Kirsty Laflin also attended the event.
Alix said: “The session was an opportunity for women in the planning sector locally to meet and network with each other over a coffee. Creating networks and highlighting women who are progressing within the industry helps create an environment that promotes inclusivity and success for women at all levels and all stages of their careers.
“This is a central part of our drive to promote equal opportunities for women across the construction industry, which is very important to us at Vistry.”
During her talk, Alice outlined the planning process at Buckler’s Park from the original allocation for 1,000 homes across the scheme and the planning applications that followed, to Vistry Thames Valley’s work delivering 85 homes under its Bovis Homes brand.
Alice also spoke about the Hazel show home at Buckler’s Park, which attendees were able to look around after the presentation.
The Transport Research Laboratory land was used for vehicle testing, research and developing innovations – such as the mini-roundabout and cycle lanes – to improve Britain’s roads and transport from the 1960s.
The wider scheme has outline planning permission for up to 1,000 new homes alongside a country park and community facilities.
To find out more about the new homes at Buckler’s Park, visit bovishomes.co.uk.
Vistry hosts Women in Planning event at Buckler’s Park in Berkshire

Women working in the planning sector gathered for an event hosted by homebuilder Vistry Group at its Buckler’s Park location in Crowthorne, Berkshire.