Bespoke coastal home granted planning permission

— 28 Sep 2018 by Martin Sturley-Hayes

Jonathan Rhind Architects have recently been granted planning permission by Torridge District Council to build a beautiful new coastal home in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the North Devon coast.

Currently occupied by a somewhat tired bungalow, the plot affords views of the Hartland coastline and Lundy Island beyond, and with it a great opportunity to create an exciting new design.

Initial assessments explored the feasibility of extending and refurbishing the existing structure against its complete demolition and new build, considering cost comparison and impact of VAT on each option. The decision was made to start from scratch, thus enabling JRA to design a home that takes full advantage of this extraordinary vantage point whilst creating a bespoke home that fully meets the needs of its owner.

An integral part of the design concept is to shift the site position slightly downhill so minimising impact on the skyline. As well as being in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the site also sits within a Nature Conservation Zone and the North Devon Coastal Protection Area within the UNESCO Devon Biosphere, and JRA have responded to these planning designations with a design that will sit discreetly within its rural surroundings.

The proposed building echoes the traditional forms of an agricultural barn in its massing of walls and pitch of roof, the rhythm of the large glazed areas between piers of structure akin to the play of light and shadow on an old linhay. Contemporary and contrasting materials of standing seam zinc panels, expansive glazing and slate cladding balance the design and traditional forms.

In addition to respecting the beautiful landscape in its design, this home also hopes to respect the environment in how it performs. Sustainable technologies will be explored at detailed design stage such as high levels of insulation, rainwater harvesting, private drinking water via a borehole, solar PV for electrical supply and a battery storage facility for the charging of battery powered vehicles.

Internally care is taken to meet the specific desires of the client, for a flexible and multifunctional home in which she can both live and work. An initial site appraisal identified key views and established the best spots to enjoy sunrise and sunset, which then informed the layout of the house.

The backbone of the building is a central storage wall so essential every day equipment can be concealed to declutter the space.

Principal living spaces and the master bedroom are positioned to maximise the view whilst internal level changes articulate each open plan space as well as increasing ceiling heights on the site

This is an exciting project for JRA and we look forward to seeing it realised! Sites of this calibre are a rarity and the opportunity to respond to not only breath-taking surroundings but also a creative and challenging brief is relished by the practise. Watch this space!

For more information about some of our other individual and unique new domestic projects see our new build page.