Arbury House
Arbury House is a two-storey, clay-roofed brick building in the historic village of Ashwell, Hertfordshire. The attached garage is weather boarded. The surrounding residential area has a consistent character, with many local buildings constructed circa 1960. The site is located at the end of a row of houses to the north-west of Newnham Way. Well-screened by mature trees, this is an edge location as the village frays into an adjacent field.
Brooks Murray were asked to bring forward a proposal for a new dwelling in the garden of the house.
Design has been informed by careful study of the site and its surroundings along Newnham Way; its potential relationship to adjoining properties; its particular planning history and that of nearby properties; existing boundary features; the character and appearance of the area; with a clear focus on the applicant’s needs and living requirements.
The proposal provides a single infil dwelling house, reaching one and a half storeys, at the rear of Arbury House. Comprising four bedrooms, this was designed with a separate access and parking to the existing house. An L-shaped layout uses the available land efficiently whilst respecting its surroundings at the end of the long sloping garden – ensuring that the existing view from the house is not diminished.
The careful design of this new cottage respects the village character. An appropriate palette of materials, in this context a slate roof and pale brown weather-boarding to the external walls, ensures it is congruous with its surrounding landscape. The new house will be set in its own garden, providing a good amount of outdoor amenity space to the future residents. Existing mature trees to the rear of the site will be retained. New hedgerow planting and a fence along the edge of the site fronting onto the bridleway will enhance existing natural screening.
