This historic lodge was only ever designed to be workers accommodation and without our bold but sensitive design approach, the support of local councillors and members of the public, the lodges future would have remained uncertain.
Our clients have a young family and simply wanted to extend the lower lodge, sympathetically, and to make this 2 bedroom house a 3 bedroom family home with an ensuite bathroom, so there is ample accommodation to make this their forever home in the idyllic hamlet of Williamscot.
The project is unusual as it involves a curtilage listed building, extended poorly in the 1960s and 1980s yet the local authority refused to acknowledge that good design was an important part of conservation, insisting that the architectural forms of the previous extension must remain.
Six previous attempts to secure consent by other local architects have failed. Our bold but sensitve design approach has been approved at planning committee.
A pre-application enquiry confirmed a slight increase of the current footprint would be supported if it were considered to generally lead to an overall benefit to the dwelling and the area generally.
Owing to the amount of previous development - a radical solution was required. Our proposals involve removing all modern extensions to make way for a new extension. The extension is to be located as far as possible from the key views to avoid impact on the conservation area and allow the original form of the lodge to be restored. The topography of the site falls away to the south allowing an additional storey to be created below the current ground floor. Our client asked us to develop the design in an arts and crafts style to reflect the design of the original dwelling.
History
Lower and Upper Lodge were constructed in the mid-19th Century. The Lower Lodge at Williamscot was constructed as a small estate workers cottage, consisting of two rooms, a sitting room and a bedroom. Estate workers would have eaten in the domestic quarters of Williamscot house.
At some point after 1922 but most likely after the war, Lower Lodge was extended with a small lean to. The lean to provided facilities to make the Lodge independent from the main house i.e. a small kitchen and bathroom.
Shortly before the estate was broken up in 1968, Upper Lodge was extended to match Lower Lodge, but was retained with the main house. To make the Lower Lodge saleable on the open market, an extension was constructed by the Lovedays to provide a second bedroom and a parking space for a motor car.
Despite its curtilage listing, in 1981, approval was granted by the local authority to extend lower lodge to the south west for an enlarged kitchen - as shown below.
In 2013, proposed plans by Cumming Anderton Architects were approved to provide a single storey extension and attached garden. The extension provided space for a much needed third bedroom. The approved scheme was not undertaken, and the timescales of the application lapsed and would not be passed under the NPPF.
The impact of the 1960s and 1980s extensions on Lower Lodge
Proposed design.
Our design provides a new extension of Lower Lodge by removing inappropriate development including the studio and 1967 and 1981 extensions retaining and restoring the existing lodge. The extension will provide one extra bedroom and an ensuite, whilst significantly reducing the impact of previous extensions which dominate the original building.
The site slopes away from the road to the south, the concept is to make use of the topography to provide an extra lower ground storey. The location of the new extension is to be situated to the far south of the site away from the principal view from the main road.
The detailed design has been based on the arts and craft style. This is an architectural style preferred by the client and a period of architecture particularly suited to the original lodge. The design of the extension reflects the design of the lodge, without being pastiche. Elements of the design of the lodge have been reflected in the design of the extension: the scale, the width of the extension, the roof pitch and the existing floor to ceiling heights. Architectural details such as the timber eaves and the chimneys have been introduced into the extension to tie both elements together.
New contemporary elements include the large areas of fenestration to provide generous views out to the landscape beyond and the dormer windows.
The materials proposed are similar (in keeping with the character of the conservation area) and as a result the extension and lodge are in keeping. The new extension will have a slate roof and timber eaves to match the lodge, however, the walls above ground will be from coloured render lightly toned to match the lodge. An ironstone plinth, quoins and chimney stacks will further reflect the materials of the lodge in the new extension. New windows will be from metal casements to reflect the crittal windows of the existing lodge.
The proposed design is in accordance with local plan policy ESD 15, designed to deliver high quality safe, attractive, durable and healthy places to live in. To improve the quality and appearance of the conservation area and the way it functions. The design provides in a contemporary response, re-interpreting local distinctiveness, through detailing and material selection.
james mackintosh architects limited
First Floor, 21 The High Street,
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
OX7 5AD
01608 692 310 / 07880 727 150