Colour Palette

Paving, street furniture, & walling

Chalk quarries and the Ebbsfleet river valley

The colour palette is designed to create a distinctive character for the Chalk Quarries and the Ebbsfleet Valley character areas by reflecting the local context and geology.

The palette references the pale hues of the sites distinctive chalk cliffs along with the blue greys of the flint found within the chalk and traditionally used as a building material in Kent. Warmer orange and browns will be used as accent colours in timber street furniture.

Northfleet Riverside

The colour palette proposed for Northfleet Embankment is designed to reflect the local context (e.g. Thames Riverside) and the site’s industrial heritage.

The industrial heritage of the cement industry at Northfleet Riverside suggests a specific palette of chalky concrete for paving and warm yellow as an accent colour in street furniture for these embankment areas.

Paving Materials

Colour palette

Cast Paving Units

The cast paving units will be limited to three colours which are derived from the site colour palette and reference the local geology;

• a light chalky coloured base with flint coloured aggregate.

• a mid grey base with both light chalky coloured and darker flint aggregates.

• a dark coloured base with chalky coloured aggregate.

Application

The palette will be used throughout the character areas. In general the light toned units will be used for the footpaths and pedestrian only areas. The mid and darker toned units will be used for trafficked areas and accent paving.

A range of unit sizes will be required for each colour which is discussed in more detail later in this chapter.

Natural Stone Paving Materials

Natural stone paving may be used in key public spaces and streets across the site. The stones selected should:

• be robust and durable- tested to BS EN 1341:2001

• be available from either the UK or Europe to reduce the carbon emissions generated from freighting products long distances

• reference local context

• reference the site colour palette

A choice of three stones have been included in the paving palette for the site giving designers of key spaces flexibility in their selection

• Sandstone / York stones

• Limestone

• Light grey Granite

Paving materials

Paving material selection should assist in establishing a cohesive and legible public realm. A degree of variation is desirable and will ensure local visual interest and richness without detracting from the unified approach. Paving materials should be selected to:

• Reflect the street hierarchy in both level of investment and scale of module.

• Reflect the appropriate landscape character area within the Garden City.

• Provide a sustainable approach through the material selection and design.

Investment Hierarchy

Investment should be focused on the Ebbsfleet Centre, Level 1 Streets, and ket public spaces such as the village centres and public squares. Materials also need to be assessed against their visual performance over time. Natural stone may have a high initial cost, but due to its longevity, can in some locations be a better long-term investment and improves in appearance with age as it develops a patina.

Where budgets are limited it may be possible to use natural stone for elements such as the kerb with cost effective man made materials used elsewhere.