Incline Fields

Incline Fields is a 100% affordable housing scheme delivered in partnership with Williams Homes (Bala) and Adra. Located on a linear site on the eastern edge of Bangor, the development provides a diverse mix of 48 dwellings, including houses, bungalows, and apartments.

Planning approval was achieved in February 2026, marking a significant milestone for a site characterized by its complex industrial heritage and proximity to the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The site is defined by its relationship with several key heritage assets, including the Grade II listed Incline Cottage and two Scheduled Monuments: the Marchogion (Knights) Incline and the Penrhyn Slate Quarry Railroad.

The design was informed by the layout of the nearby 19th-century model village of Llandygai. Taking cues from Llandygai’s “Picturesque” arrangement of clustered and paired homes, the masterplan avoids a rigid suburban layout. Instead, it utilizes smaller groupings tailored to the site’s topography and linear constraints. This approach maintains the prominence of Incline Cottage and preserves strategic views toward the Marchogion Incline Plane from the A5, ensuring the new built form remains deferential to its historic surroundings.

Ainsley Gommon worked closely with the project team to ensure the development delivers long-term social value through a fabric-first approach. The homes utilize modern timber-frame construction to achieve high levels of energy efficiency, reducing the carbon footprint of the development while providing high-quality, comfortable living spaces for residents.

The masterplan also seeks to improve the public realm by integrating and enhancing access to the historic industrial features on site. This celebrates the local history of the Ogwen Valley while creating a highly permeable and sustainable new community.