Built into the hillside with a stream integrated into the building design, this home embraces and celebrates the wildlife of this beautiful site. The house is conceived as a fissure in the sloping landscape – an opening, like a strata of rock revealed by the hillside side but concealed entirely from the road
From the road, only a low dry stonewall and green sedum roof will be visible. The house itself cantilevers out over the stream providing views of the countryside. It is a simple modest plan form that allows for open plan living areas that look out onto a sunken terrace and water features.
The Planning Issues
Para. 79 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states: “To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities.” It goes on to say “Local planning authorities should avoid new isolated homes in the countryside unless there are special circumstances.”
We successfully demonstrated the design was of special circumstances through the exceptional quality of the design, sensitive to the local area.
