Planning permission granted for a dwelling in Patchway, Bristol

We have recently achieved planning permission for a rear extension to a dwelling in Patchway, Bristol.

The clients sought to expand the ground floor living space to better suit a more modern way of living. An open plan kitchen and dining space was one of the primary aspirations as was a space to play games, a utility/laundry space and a ground floor W.C. The existing lounge adjacent to the street remains as such although a new folding door provides the option to either enclose the lounge or open it up depending on the occasion.

The existing first floor W.C. was also something the clients wanted to enlarge and thought a first floor extension was the only way to achieve this. We used some simple concepts, such as moving the window position and flipping the door to open outwards onto the landing, to create a more spacious layout.

The clients already had a vision of the external finish materials. Timber of varying dark tones clads the extension which sits above a stone cill drip ledge and a stone finish foundation below.

The client is very happy with how things are progressing and we hope to move on to producing detailed drawings shortly. We will publish detailed progress as this project continues to move forward. You can read more about this project here, or explore all of our projects here.

Preparing to submit planning for Nichols Road

Following a few alterations to the design we previously posted, we have finalised the design and layout with the client through a series of design meetings and are preparing to submit this scheme to planning.

Layout

The design looks to create a new storey above the existing bungalow. The new first floor will accommodate all the social and shared spaces of a home. A kitchen with walk-in pantry, dining area, W.C., and snug are now closely located and will allow the family to enjoy more time together rather than at opposite ends of the bungalow. The first floor balcony will take advantage of the views out to the Bristol estuary. An external staircase will also provide access to the first floor and ground floor from the garden.

A new entrance space has been created on the ground floor which accommodates the new staircase to the first floor and plenty of storage for coats, shoes, bags, etc. The existing kitchen and dining room on the ground floor will become the master bedroom with walk-in storage, and en-suite. This now takes full advantage of the existing balcony on this level. The existing lounge on the ground floor will be retained and used as another space for the family to enjoy together.

Sustainability Upgrades

The exterior walls of the new first floor will be clad in cork to improve the energy efficiency of the dwelling. Solar panels will be fitted to the south facing roofs to create energy on site which could be further paired with a battery system to store the energy for later use. The existing ground floor will also see a number of upgrades to the walls and floors to improve the u-value of the house. This will create more comfortable living spaces and reduce the need to use energy to heat the home.

Overall, the client is very pleased with the design and looks forward to taking the project to the next stage. We will publish detailed progress as this project continues to move forward. You can read more about this project here, or explore all of our projects here.

Barn conversion planning success

We are delighted to have finally gained planning consent for the design of a new dwelling in the North Somerset south of Bristol. The design is for the conversion of a redundent agricultural barn into a new three bedroom dwelling for our client and their young family, which will be built to the highest environmental standards by following passive house principles.

Planning permission in england is normally very difficult to achieve for new dwellings in the countryside. In many cases the the only way to achieve this kind of development is through alteration of an existing building which is suitable for conversion. Agricultural buildings can provide a perfect opportunity for conversion where a robust exisitng structure can provide a framework for new building elements. When considering whether this kind of development is feasible it is important to check whether there are any existing conditions on the site preventing residential conversion, as well as consulting with an enginner for an assessment of the existing structure. It is also important to check the local authoritie's approach to new dwellings in the countryside as well as national policy (National Planning Policy Framework)

The barn conversion will be built to the highest quality finishes and materials which justify the spectaclar site position which has views overlooking Bristol to the north and east. The build will also follow the highest environmental standards where high levels of insulation, controlled ventilation and draft-free construction will produce a very low energy home. We are looking forward to preparing the detailed technical drawings for building regulations, as well as preparing the passive house (PHPP) model for the design.

If you are interested in talking to us about this kind of project then please do not hesitate to get in touch.