The Shadwell Estate Masterplan

An emerging vision of regeneration and renewal, Shadwell Estate is entering a new era. We are developing a Whole Estate Concept Masterplan that will set out an ambitious long-term vision that honours our heritage while building confidently and responsibly towards a sustainable future rooted in a landscape of extraordinary beauty.

A vision shaped by the land

Set within one of England's most distinctive landscapes, Shadwell Estate has the scale, the heritage and the ambition to become something even more remarkable. Our masterplan identifies a series of interconnected opportunities - for restoration, for growth, for nature and for community - each one guided by a deep sense of place and a commitment to quality.

At its heart is the creation of new workspaces, business opportunities, homes and green neighbourhoods that will strengthen the vitality of Thetford and the surrounding region, make positive use of buildings that are no longer required for their built use. Together with the restoration of Shadwell Court, a Grade I listed building and the historic centrepiece of a 500-acre designed parkland, we hope to invite hospitality opportunities for wellness and retreat.

These ambitions form the backbone of a long-term vision for this remarkable landscape. An ambition centered around creating a viable estate for the future that can continue to honour and invest into its heritage, environmental and social responsibilities.

Our principles for a remarkable place

Everything within our Concept Masterplan is shaped by a set of founding principles. Identity, heritage and renewal run through every decision. Climate resilience, nature recovery and landscape-led thinking inform how we build and how we manage the land. And at every turn, we are guided by a belief that the countryside - and the beauty of this particular place - should be celebrated and shared.

These principles are not aspirational additions; they are at the core of every decision. By regarding Shadwell at an estate scale, we are able to think ambitiously, invest strategically and deliver something that endures: a diverse, thriving and genuinely beautiful place in the heart of Breckland.

Community engagement

Whole Estate concept masterplan drop-in session and online survey

We launched our engagement on the whole estate concept masterplan earlier this year. On Saturday 30th May, we invited residents in Thetford to join us for a drop-in session and opened an online survey to collect feedback.

At the event, residents met members of the design team, learned about the whole estate masterplan and left their feedback on priorities for Thetford, - covering young people, tourism, employment and design.

We were pleased to be joined by 164 residents!

What you said

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to engage with us so far, whether at the event or online. The top-voted answers to each question are in the accordions below

Across all responses, local people consistently highlighted the importance of access to nature and outdoor activity, wellbeing space for young people and valuing heritage as key themes.

Future engagement

As the whole estate concept masterplan is a long-term vision for the future of the estate, we want to make sure that we are engaging the whole community. We are looking to engage with younger people who can feed into the process now and help us understand their future needs.

We will also continue to engage all other key stakeholders on the emerging masterplan, and will keep providing updates on this page as these discussions continue over the coming months.