Heatherside
Stephen and Aine asked us to design a light and spacious forever-home for their growing family.
They had purchased the land, which is on a steep slope in the green belt, over 10 years ago and felt the time had come to build their dream home. Due to the challenging nature of the site, they were already working with Maybern, a planning consultancy when we were appointed. They had heard of our past success in achieving planning permission for tricky sites.
Our starting approach was to develop a design that is a direct response to the landscape and the local context. We also factored in Stephen and Aine’s desire to live in an open home flooded with light that has a strong connection to the outdoors. You can see the evolution of the design in our blog.
We created a two-storey design with the living areas embedded into the slope of the hill and shed-like forms above for bedrooms. The ‘sheds’ will echo the sheds found in surrounding fields and vary in form and roof pitch. There’s a beautiful contrast between the sheds and the stone base, resulting in a design that feels as if it belongs in the landscape.
Our design will be tested using Paragraph 79 of the National Planning Policy Framework which requires us to demonstrate that the design is exceptional and innovative. To give the project the best chance of gaining planning we have been working closely with a planning consultant, landscape architect and highways consultant to address the majority of potential objections prior to submission.
“The distant views give a good impression of the building design and show how well the lower volume nests into the ground.” Place Matter Design Review
Images: Steve Banks
Location: Ramsbottom, Bury
Client: Private
Contractor: TBC
Planning: Submitted 2020
Site: TBC
Completion: TBC
Energy consumption: TBC
Budget: £2000/m2
Sycamore Hall
John and Jean asked us to transform their small, dated bungalow into a future-proofed, sustainable retirement home. One that is full of light, warm, economic and easy to live in.
We fully reconfigured their home internally, added two small extensions and strategically placed rooflights to create the generous, light-filled living spaces they craved.
To make the most of their beautiful view we created three special windows. Two of these can be enjoyed from generous window seats giving you the feeling that you’re sat in the landscape.
An extremely thorough retrofit of insulation, triple glazed windows, air-tightness work and mechanical ventilation have made their home a wonderfully warm and quiet building to live in during their retirement.
We supported John & Jean throughout their project from planning right through to construction. We helped them to choose the right contractor, manage their costs and worked with their contractor to deliver this fantastic project to a very high standard.
“Much of the good design is summed up in the living room main window and box seat – economically enlarging an existing window space, and transforming it into one of the centre pieces of the building both visually and functionally. Young and old are drawn to it, they love it.”
John & Jean, Downsizers, Bolsterstone
Photo credit: Dug Wilders Photography
Location: Bolsterstone
Client: Private
Contractor: Terry Huggett Developments
Planning: June 2015
Site: Jan 2016
Completion: May 2017
Energy consumption: 48 kWh/m2.a
Construction Cost: £1300/m2
Awards: Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2018 – Shortlisted
Stringer Barn Conversion
Allyson invited us to design a spacious barn conversion for her and her growing family. The barn conversion had to become a warm and cosy home which made the most of views from her green belt site.
We designed the house around a hearth which very much becomes the heart of the family home. Around this we arranged a series of broken-plan spaces so that Allyson and her family could feel connected whilst spending time enjoying separate activities. This included a series of double height spaces which bring plenty of daylight into the heart of the house whilst also connecting the first and second floor together.
We helped Allyson through a tricky planning process as a result of the site’s green belt location. This meant we had to work hard with the barn’s existing structure rather than replacing it. A mix of timber, stone and steel roofing was used to help the new house blend into its rural location despite Allyson’s desire for a modern home.
We targeted the Passivhaus Enerphit performance and energy standard for the home. This required lots of careful work during the detailed design stage of the project to help the old barn to achieve the standard. However it will mean that Allyson’s family will have a warm, cosy and healthy home with minimal running costs for many years to come.
We have guided Allyson through each stage of the project including helping her narrow down the choice of contractors for her dream build. We’re now looking forward to the project starting on site in the near future.
Location: Emley, West Yorkshire
Client: Private
Planning: 2016
Site: TBC
Completion: TBC
Energy consumption: 25 kWh/m2.a
Budget: £1350/m2
Cinder Bridge Road
Mark and Clare asked us to turn their derelict cottage in the green belt into a light and spacious home that complemented the surrounding landscape.
The existing house had had several poor-quality extensions added over the years. Internally it was a series of small, dark spaces with poor views and daylight. The house was also visually unattractive as the extensions detracted from the original building.
The site is in the green belt so we had significant restrictions on the size of any enlargements. The house was also subject to restrictive covenants that meant a number of late design changes. It’s also hard up against a busy and noisy main road. We worked within these tight constraints to deliver a home that surpassed our client’s expectations despite its modest size.
We organised the spaces with service spaces buffering living and sleeping spaces from the noise of the busy adjacent road. High-performance windows and a well-insulated building also help to keep out unwanted sound. As a result, the house is a quiet retreat from the noise outside.
Our first step was to demolish the existing extensions in order to create a space that would house the main living and sleeping areas. The open plan living, dining and kitchen area feels spacious with a double height slot lighting the space from above.
We added a concrete floor, SIPs panel walls and roof to provide good thermal mass, super insulation and excellent air-tightness. The original shell also has been improved. This high-performance building also means that Mark and Clare have a warm and comfortable home with very low energy bills.
This is the project that triggered our popular stoves in air-tight houses blog post.
Although this was a lengthy project, we were committed to working closely with Mark and Clare to deliver the home they always wanted.
“Paul was always able and willing to help with whatever issues we faced. He remained in contact through the long period to completion. The space is perfect and exactly what we expressed in our brief to Paul.” Mark Gittins, Self-Builder, Rotherham
Location: Rotherham
Client: Private
Planning: 2012
Site: 2013
Completion: 2018
Energy consumption: N/A
Budget: £1,000/m2
Awards: Build Magazine – Best Rotherham Residential Extension 2018
The Burrows
Peter & Joanne invited us to design a simple, healthy and comfortable home for them to downsize to on an extremely exposed site in the green belt.
We discussed an earth-sheltered design at a very early stage. This dealt with the exposed, windswept site but also nestles their new home into the landscape to reduce its impact on the green belt.
Our design is simple but makes the best use of the site and its surroundings. All of the main rooms benefit from direct sunlight and amazing views over the valley. This means our clients will benefit from a bright, uplifting home despite it being partially buried in the ground.
A modest palette of local stone, timber and zinc give the building a simple, elegant and understated look that sits well in its landscape.
Indoor air quality was extremely important to Peter and Joanne so the Passivhaus standard was the obvious choice for us to create a healthy and comfortable home for them. This will be a massive improvement from the cold and draughty stone cottage they currently live in.
We made use of the NPPF Paragraph 55 policy [Now NPPF 79] to win planning approval. Our rigorous approach to the design and planning process meant we were awarded planning at our first attempt despite the difficulty of this approach. At the time we achieved the first NPPF 55 approval in South Yorkshire and were one of the earliest in the country.
Following planning, we worked closely with a structural engineer and other specialists to detail this complex home so Peter could self-build the project himself in his spare time. He hopes to complete the project in 2019.
“Paul was with us every step of the way during the design process and succeeding in getting planning permission at our first attempt, which we were absolutely delighted about. Without Paul, his team and our planning consultant we wouldn’t have got our planning permission and a design of property that mirrors all our aspirations and the way we want to live in the future.”
Peter & Joanne, Self-builders
“[The scheme is] …witty and interesting, and strong in arguing the case for an exceptional and unrepeatable scheme.”
Barnsley Urban Renaissance Design Advisory Panel Member
Photo Credit: N/A
Location: Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire
Client: Private
Planning: 2012
Site: 2015
Completion: 2019
Gross internal floor area: 180m2
Energy consumption: 14 kWh/m2.a
Budget: £1400/m2 [Self Built]
