Whilst the previous application had been rejected owing to a standard limit in these areas of no more than 30% increase in size, we designed the new building intelligently to meet the council’s criteria. Our approved plan not only matched, but exceeded the former request, and we have managed to almost double the property’s size, from 106m² to 204m². Alongside the sizeable increase in space, the brand-new home boasts a highly unique and sustainable design.

Through the use of materials such as oak, brick, timber, and red clay tiles along with copper gutters and downpipes, the property will bring forward a traditional design to today’s aesthetics in a sympathetic manner, and coordinate the building with New Forest’s verdant surroundings. The day-to-day running of Holmwood also has sustainability at the forefront, with a ground source heat pump to reduce energy consumption, a battery storage system to take and store electricity from the grid at night, and an airtight infrastructural design.

Aiding this super thermal efficiency is the inclusion of triple glazing and vaulted ceilings, both designed to maximise a sense of space without compromising on insulation. These features brings the outdoors in, in a thermally efficient way. This merging of the interior and the exterior allows the property to be filled with natural light, a quality further enhanced by the property’s open plan design, incorporating cosy spaces and connection with the garden.

The grounds are an incredibly important feature of Holmwood. We consciously retained the bungalow form in the design, as it maintains the open feel of the plot whilst enabling a well-considered interior space for the applicants. The grounds are further optimised through the relocation of the parking area on the tree-lined plot to increase its sense of rurality, and the burying of currently above-ground electricity lines, to increase aesthetic appeal.