UK housing developer Comer Homes celebrated progress at its Newland Park development last week. The firm invited pupils from the local Berkhamsted School, Chalfont St. Peter Parish Council members, and the Chiltern Open Air Museum to contribute items for a time capsule.

The capsule was buried in the courtyard of the central Grade II listed mansion house, which is the focal point of the development, on 15th June 2023, accompanied by a commemorative plaque.

Berkhamsted School pupils filled the capsule with creative works from the competition. The challenge was to write poems inspired by the 300-acre Newland Park or sketch the notable figures who once visited the site, including King George III, Emmeline Pankhurst, H.G Wells, George Bernard Shaw, and John Milton.

Chalfont St. Peter Parish Council and Chiltern Open Air Museum also contributed to the capsule. The Parish Council added the 2023 Feast of St. Peter Programme of Events and a Visit Chalfont St. Peter leaflet for the year. The museum donated its latest Family Museum Guide, a leaflet of 2023’s community events, and handmade nails from a relocated building.

The capsule, to be opened in 50 years, also contains a mobile phone and Bluetooth headphones to represent current technology. Other items include historical pieces from the mansion house, the latest edition of the local newspaper and the sales brochure for the new residential development.

This event highlights Comer Homes' ongoing commitment to the local communities of Chalfont St. Giles and Chalfont St. Peter. In the past, the company sponsored events like the Feast of St. Peter Fun Night in December 2022.

Newland Park will soon be open to the local community, with new public parks, communal sports facilities and a luxury health club in the works.

Brian Comer, Comer Homes Co-Founder and Group Chairman, commented: “Newland Park is significant for our business and the local community. This time capsule project is an important way for us to honour its history while engaging with Berkhamsted School students and the local community.”

The winning entrants from Berkhamsted School received a Hawthorn tree native to Newland Park, to be planted at the school as a token of appreciation.

The construction at Newland Park is ongoing, with the first set of 74 houses and apartments expected to be completed by late 2023 or early 2024. Show homes are planned for Autumn 2023.