We’re delighted to have secured Planning Permission for two distinctive, high quality and sustainable dwellings that replace a large 19th Century barn, originally erected as an indoor tennis court serving the main house on this sought-after waterfront site, located in Oxfordshire’s greenbelt.
With Eastern and Southern boundaries densely populated by mature trees – protected by a washed over woodland Tree Preservation Order – and set close to the banks of the River Thames, the consented scheme responds to the natural topography of the site, as it falls dramatically towards the river, capturing unobstructed views across from North to South.
The current scheme follows a previous consent to convert the existing barn into two, four-bedroom units. The visual improvements, thermal performance and sustainability benefits associated with a new build construction – as per the latest consent – far outweigh the gains of maintaining the character appeal of the original property, hence the introduction of a Phase 2 application.
The high quality, low impact properties are based on an elegant double pitched roof form - allowing for large building spans, and variety across the two units, whilst keeping overall ridge heights down. Located broadly over the footprint of the existing building, the primary living spaces and bedrooms are creatively arranged to provide views across the South-facing gardens, toward the River Thames and beyond.
The scheme takes material precedent from the existing building on site, reimagined with contemporary detailing - red brick is introduced with extruded bond, and black timber cladding fixed in a vertical arrangement, while the roof is finished in blue slate, as commonly seen in the local architecture.
With two thirds of the site located in Flood Zone 3, flood mitigation has been a key consideration throughout, and alongside agreeing finished floor levels with the Local Authority, a floodable under croft has been designed beneath the buildings to respond to concerns over floodplain storage.
The consent provides a fantastic opportunity to transform and enhance the architectural quality of the site and bring about clear sustainable and ecological benefits over the existing building. As ever, we’d like to thank those involved in the project – JPPC, Windrush Ecology, Sarah Venners, Infrastruct CS and Blewburton.
