CSJ PLANNING and CSJ BROOKE SMITH

Bespoke Replacement Dwelling within Listed Building Curtilage and Greenbelt

CSJ Planning has secured planning permission for the demolition and replacement of a ‘bespoke' dwelling at the former Head's House at Silverhill School, Winterbourne, which lies within the Green Belt. 

The application site is located within the grounds of Silverhill School (formerly Winterbourne House), within a walled garden.  The school house is a Grade II listed building dated from the 17^th and 18^th Century.

The existing dwelling was not capable of retention in its current state and was unsightly and out of character with its surroundings.  Officers consider that the benefits of replacing the existing building are significant, with considerable improvements on the setting of the listed building and a package of environmental benefits, which include the introduction of measures to achieve a very high energy conservation performance well in excess of Building Regulation Legislation standards and incorporates sustainable techniques such as solar heating. 

The design concept of the proposal is to ‘sink' the house so that it cannot be seen from either inside or outside the walled garden.  In adopting this approach the new dwelling will improve and positively enhance the setting of the listed building. 

The new proposal can be ‘read' as a gardeners house/glasshouse, sitting discreetly within and subservient to, the walled garden.  All of the new building is entirely hidden behind the existing stone boundary garden wall when viewed from the east and its impact on the boundary wall and the adjoining listed building is minimal.  High quality materials are proposed including stone walls, a copper roof and full height structural glazing to give a contemporary design aesthetic for the new dwelling. 

As well as providing a first class, high quality building, a further feature of the proposal is the reinstatement of the garden back to its former glory.  The site is currently overgrown and has been unattended to for a number of years and the landscaping scheme will make a stunning contribution to the locality.  As well as new planting and landscaping, a dry stream and water feature is proposed together with several individual themed gardens throughout the site including a rose garden, vegetable garden, barbeque area with herb garden, rhododendron/azalea and heather garden.  

Simon Tofts, of CSJ Planning, who secured this planning permission, considered it to be an exciting development proposal that will markedly enhance the Green Belt setting and will be sympathetic in design and subservient to the relationship of the walled garden. 

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