Green light for Georgian style property

— 19 Aug 2021

Designing a beautiful house to meet a client’s brief is always a challenge we relish, more so achieving planning permission in a difficult context so the design can be realised. The Jonathan Rhind Architects’ team were therefore delighted to achieve planning permission for a new build Georgian style mansion on the outskirts of Taunton following a robust design process and extensive and fruitful discussions with the planning team at Somerset West and Taunton planning department.

We were approached to design a replacement dwelling on the site of a tired 1930's property, with an exceptional Georgian style property. Under permitted development rights, the existing property and its ancillary structures could have been significantly extended, but the new building is a more balanced and functional house with standards of energy efficiency well beyond current building regulations.

The proposals include for three storeys of accommodation in the main house, with an orangery kitchen on the rear elevation to take advantage of morning sunshine and long-distance views across the water meadows behind the property. A rubblestone ‘coach house’ garage complements the main house, while a pool house mirrors the style of the orangery to sit comfortably in the grounds. An adjacent pavilion provides for outdoor living connected to the house through a series of stepped, terraced and lawned gardens, leading down to the wider landscape beyond.

In adopting a classical style the design has focussed on symmetry and proportion to ensure a house that sits well in its setting as well as creating balanced and well-proportioned living spaces. Externally, cut ashlar dressings, string course, hipped roof and timber sash windows all contribute to the Georgian aesthetic to give a look which is both refined and simple.

The design of the property has been a complex and rigorous process, and has included modelling to review the shading of the site at different times of day through the year to ensure optimum placement of buildings to reduce overshadowing and take full advantage of the aspect of the site; effects on views from the neighbouring properties; and to incorporate feedback from technical enquiries such as conveyancing and measured surveys, ecology assessments and mitigation, and energy reviews.

The energy strategy for the site achieves a 20% improvement on current building regulations, and sensible cost efficiencies include a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system; an air source heat pump and photovoltaic panels, while the designs allow for additional insulation in external walls and windows sized to maximise solar gains. The client is also keen to enhance the area’s biodiversity and is hoping to plant out an area of the water meadow as a community orchard, thereby improving both ecological biodiversity and public enjoyment of and engagement with the area.

Getting the green light for this exciting project is fantastic for the client and the team who are now pushing ahead with finalising design details and preparing a tender package for potential contractors. We will keep you updated as the project moves on.