Award Winner for Best Large Housing Development of the Year
AN INSPECTOR'S CALL
Water's Edge, Bridge Road, Shaldon, Devon TQ14 0BP
On a site of almost three acres formerly occupied by the Teignhaven caravan park, Midas Homes have built 50 houses and flats for sale at prices from £175,000 to £450,000 and seven affordable homes identical in design and quality of construction for Westcountry Housing Association. The result has received widespread approval and not only won this year's award for the Best Large Housing Development of more than 20 units, but also a Building for Life silver award from CABE, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.
That is how Water's Edge has ended up, but it began with a scheme that was vehemently opposed by the local community, resulting in planning permission being refused by Teignbridge District Council and then dismissed on appeal. So Midas Homes appointed a different firm of architects, Harrison Sutton Partnership, to bring a fresh approach to the design process. This required the planning inspector's recommendations to be implemented so a new design could achieve a general consensus of support from the village.
The inspector had made it clear that CABE's publication By Design should be followed to produce a design solution that would reflect the distinctive character of old Shaldon. This was done by making a detailed Urban Form Study of the old village, which was used to produce a "Statement of Design Intentions" explaining the principles to be followed.
A working group of Midas, the design team and the community was set up to approve each stage of the design process before moving to the next. To involve the whole village, a series of public workshops was held in the village hall until the final design was agreed. Then a planning application was made and unanimously approved by the planning committee.
No standard house types were used. Instead, historic architectural features and local details were adapted and incorporated in the design of each building to reflect the local vernacular. Road design was also changed so that the buildings and spaces were designed first and the roads fitted in around them. This required the highways authority to relax its normal criteria, enabling the houses to be served by a network of single-width "shared-surface" roads arranged in loops to avoid the need for double-width carriageways and turning heads. All car parking is in compact and discreet parking courts rather than within the cartilage of the houses, and Midas also had to provide the village with a public car park for 48 vehicles.
Midas Homes admit that by involving the local community at every stage, "the whole project has benefited from their positive contribution. Water's Edge is an excellent example of how new housing in small villages can be successfully achieved." This shows how they learned from the process. Hopefully, other housebuilders will also do so.
Homebuilder: MIDAS HOMES LIMITED
Homeside House, Silverhills Road, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 5YZ
Tel 01626 356666
Fax 01626 331093
Website: www.midashomes.com
Contact: Rod Stone, Architectural Director.
Email: sales@midashomes.com
Architects: HARRISON SUTTON PARTNERSHIP
Little Priory Court, Fore Street, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5NJ
Tel 01803 865084
Fax 01803 865114
Website: www.harrisonsutton.com
Contact: Peter Sutton, Partner.
Email: design@harrisonsutton.com