Devon Architect Celebrates Planning Appeal Victory

Devon based architects practice McCaren Architecture is celebrating a long-awaited victory after the Government's Planning Inspector granted permission for their design for a contemporary hillside house in Trewarmett on appeal. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) December 01, 2011 - The granting of permission for a part-buried, grass-roofed house with a spectacular coastal outlook follows a protracted appeal process, which saw the company challenge, the development boundary within the North Cornwall village and Area of Outstanding Natural beauty.

The site for the proposed house operated as Trebarwith Valley Nursery and Garden centre from 1980 to 2004 and was substantially developed during that time. Despite the former commercial use of the site, in 2001 the line of the development boundary set by North Cornwall Council was drawn through the site in such a way that only a small part of it could house future development.

The current site owner, Mr David Patten, first approached McCaren Architecture in 2007 with a brief to renew an existing planning permission for a conventional 2-storey house on the portion of the site lying within the development boundary. With this renewal achieved in 2008, Mr Patten decided to pursue his dream for an alternative development that would take full advantage of the site's unique landscape and views. This could only be achieved by siting the house outside the development boundary. McCaren then set about designing a home that would have low impact on the landscape, but high impact views and architecture within.

To minimise the effect of the new dwelling on the village, the single-storey house is sunk into the ground with a grass roof over. The east wall of the building is below ground level and therefore not visible from behind. The West elevation is above ground level and fully glazed to take advantage of the view down the valley towards Gull Rock off Trebarwith Strand. Neighbours will be able to see straight over the top of the building and continue to enjoy the views they have at the moment.

All the design decisions on the project were influenced by the desire to minimise the impact of the new dwelling on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The low-lying building with its green roof will hardly be visible at all from most vantage points. The irregular shape with its deep overhanging roof casting shadows to break up the form, and the dull grey lead fascia and natural slate walls all help to merge the building into the landscape. A landscaping scheme for the lower part of the site improves wildlife habitats and restores biodiversity.

Project Architect Andrew Paterson commented: "Alongside the client and Planning Consultant John Eaton, we decided the strength of our case demanded in appeal against the Planner's decision. Our proposal for a single-storey house outside the development boundary has less impact on neighbours and views than the 2-storey house that already had planning permission. Our perseverance in building a strong argument to support our challenge was key to our ultimate success."

McCaren Architecture Practice Director Robin McCaren commented: "We have a history of successfully achieving Planning Permission for new dwellings on coastal sites. Working in partnership with ecological and arboricultural experts, we make every effort to ensure that the environmental impact of their proposals is minimal. Our recent success record on sensitive sites demonstrates recognition by Local Authority Planners of our rigorous design approach and the high quality of our work."

The practice is currently working on a range of challenging architectural projects including a housing development in Plymouth, the conversion of a farm complex on Dartmoor for residential and holiday uses, and several private dwellings in the South West. A portfolio of past projects can be viewed online at www.mccaren-aia.co.uk.

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