Featured Projects
Main entrance to each house. SUDs Elements
Main entrance to each house. SUDs Elements
01
The Dragon
This site presented many planning and political challenges to overcome before gaining planning permission (at Appeal). These included: • Providing a contemporary design within a historic Conservation Area • Maintaining appropriate levels of privacy and residential amenity within a constrained site • Achieving a larger and more attractive level of accommodation for students than provided by the previously approved scheme • Addressing parking concerns raised by neighbouring residents. ​Extensive work was carried out with Planning Officers at the pre-application stage to present a high quality, contemporary design that sought to represent an improvement from a design and conservation perspective when compared to the previous scheme that had been approved on this site (also very contemporary and of a high quality).  The scheme evolved over time in consultation with the Planning and Conservation officers to produce a softer and less-jarring transition from the traditional to the contemporary whilst improving on the level and use of floorspace to be provided.  The Mansard style design received unanimous support from Officers before being refused contrary to their advice by Members of the Planning Committee.  This was not unexpected as it followed the trend of the previously approved scheme so work began in earnest on appealing the erroneous decision of the Committee.  A comprehensive written representations appeal was submitted which focused on the positives of the scheme relating to its contemporary modern design (including a green roof and innovative sustainable drainage system), high quality materials, sustainable location and provision of efficient accommodation including cycle storage.  The appeal also highlighted the benefits of the scheme over and above the previously approved plans whilst also noting the Committee’s unenviable record in not supporting their officers in such matters, to the detriment of their constituents and local communities.  Ultimately, and not unexpectedly, the Inspector emphatically found in favour of the proposed development and the appeal was allowed.  Subsequently, all planning conditions relating to materials, construction methods, travel planning, drainage and engineering have been approved without objection.
02
Certified Passivhaus
This scheme sought to maximise opportunities to capitalise on a relatively large site with a bungalow in a popular residential area in Cardiff. The application was for a pair of luxury semi detached properties that will achieve full passivhaus certification. Detailed modelling around and design work was undertaken to take into consideration the location of Unheated Spaces, Optimise solar gain in the Winter through Orientation, Design Glazing to balance heat gain, heat loss and daylight and Renewables - for getting to net zero carbon. Notwithstanding this, the site presented numerous challenges including: • Organised neighbour opposition to contemporary design • Increasing the sustainable use of the site whilst maintaining residential amenity and privacy of neighbouring residents • Addressing parking concerns This ambitious and exciting scheme was initially presented with extensive opposition from neighbouring residents and the planning officer despite undertaking pre-application discussions with the Local Planning Authority and despite there being numerous comparable examples of similar contemporary schemes in the locality. Notwithstanding this, we sought to work effectively and constructively with the planning officer to reduce the extent of his concerns - primarily relating to the amenity of neighbouring residents. The contemporary ethos of the design was maintained at all times with some reasonable and limited internal reconfigurations of the floorspace to achieve a design that fully respected the amenities and privacy of neighbouring residents. The amendments were focused on maintaining back to back distances, providing effective landscaping and boundary treatments and orientating windows to areas with limited opportunities to overlook neighbours. Some concern was also raised by residents in terms of the proposed level of off-street parking. However, the Design and Access Statement submitted in support of the application was used to promote local opportunities to access active travel facilities and local services whilst demonstrating that the level of off-street provision was wholly compliant with local and national policy. As a result, the scheme received support from the Highways officers. The proposed development received support from Planning Officers when presented to the Planning Committee where numerous Members expressed their delight at high quality design presented to them. Ultimately, the application was granted planning permission with the unequivocal support of the Planning Committee despite the level and organised nature of opposition provided by neighbouring residents.
03
Llun-Y-Mynydd
This was a site constrained in terms of it’s location, size and topography which presented several challenges such as: • Providing a contemporary design in an area of varying styles and quality of design • Maintaining the privacy of existing neighbouring residents • Providing suitable levels of amenity for the proposed dwelling without having a material adverse impact on existing neighbours • Achieving sufficient floorspace and habitable accommodation on a small site • Providing sufficient parking to serve a house of this size. In overcoming the issues set out above, we challenged the architect to produce an ambitious and modern design with a brief to elevate the design standards within this part of the village by promoting placemaking, symmetry, vertical scale, use of quality materials etc. We sought to maximise back to back distances between properties whilst providing high quality landscaping and boundary treatments on a split level site whilst also maximising opportunities to capitalise on the opportunities such as the scenic views across the valley, particularly for the rear facing living and sleeping spaces. Whilst the size of the dwelling would have normally required the provision of an excessive 3no. parking spaces within the site, we sought to take advantage of the excellent active travel opportunities with reference to the proximity of local facilities to demonstrate an appropriate reduction to 2no. spaces on sustainability grounds which was welcomed by the local Highways and Planning departments.