From a ~£40k hole in the ground - to a ~£1.25m AA+ rated home!

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While planning success can rarely be guaranteed and often isn't instantaneous, the right team, a strong vision, and perseverance can yield enormous dividends

We won’t disclose full details of the parties involved, but this summary paints a comprehensive picture of the project journey and Bondstones' involvement in a truly remarkable transformation...

The Challenge

The site on first visit...

Several years ago, Bondstones was approached by a private client who had acquired a redundant underground water storage tank at auction.

Initially, our client lost to a higher bidder. However, before the sale was completed, a neighbouring landowner advised the winner of numerous issues, including a purported ransom on the site, potentially obstructing future development. As a result, the auction sale was voided due to faulty disclosures, and the property was re-offered to our client, who, with some tactical negotiation, secured the deal.

Bondstones had previously collaborated with this client on several successful projects. Consequently, we were instructed to address the issues that led to the failed sale and guide the redevelopment into a 'grand designs' residential project.

The challenges were evident from the outset:

• The structure was predominantly underground and an inaccessible confined space.
• The property posed significant logistical complexities.
• Essential services, apart from water, were non-existent.
• While close to a village, the location was relatively isolated.
• The property occupied a highly prominent hilltop position with outstanding views but within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
• The planning authority was notoriously difficult and unpredictable.
• The client, a seasoned building contractor, had a specific design vision in mind.

Despite these formidable challenges, Bondstones was confident in the redevelopment potential and eager to bring the client’s vision to life.

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A Promising Start

Early engagement with the planning department is highly advisable, particularly for complex projects.

Bondstones initiated a pre-app meeting, which proved productive and beneficial. The case officer concurred that the land was seen as 'brownfield land' and so suitable for redevelopment. They also agreed that landscape issues could be managed with sensitive design and that the site could be used for commercial storage without further planning consent.

This established a useful fallback position, particularly significant for the project, ensuring that an alternative lawful use would be far more detrimental to the area than a well-designed dwelling.

Setbacks and Strategic Planning

Following the site visit, the case officer's report contradicted the positive initial feedback, evidently influenced by others who were unfamiliar with the site.

Bondstones advised our client to proceed with a submission that would address the conflicting position and prepare ourselves a strong case for a planning appeal.  As anticipated, this application was refused after significant delays at the hands of the council, it did however provide a solid basis for our subsequent strategy;

This marked the completion of "Stage 1" and set the groundwork for our next steps...

Independent Design Review

Anticipating an appeal from the outset and with refusal in hand Bondstones advised that the project should be put to Design Review to overcome most of the planners' reasons for refusal;

Design review is an independent process that offers substantial planning benefits. This review was instrumental in addressing:

• Design & Visual Impact
• Ecological Considerations
• Location & Sustainability
• Landscape Impact
• Scale, Layout, Massing, and Density

Design Review is a tried and tested, wholly independent process, which if followed correctly will provide significant "material weight" in planning terms.  It is most especially useful for challenging rural, isolated and subjective projects or where proposals are not covered by explicit planning policies, or where design policies are out of date...

The Design Review process is straightforward: it involves a presentation by the Planning & Architectural Team to a panel of independent experts, in this case the process was managed by www.designreviewpanel.co.uk.

Following the design team's presentation, the panel engages in a detailed discussion with the team, invites questions, and deliberates privately before providing formal feedback a few weeks later.

This process requires a rigorous design approach and expertise within the delivery team to achieve meaningful results.

​Bondstones frequently recommends this process to clients, both before and after planning submissions, and it has been instrumental in achieving great successes.​..

The Design Review Panel agreed on the site’s suitability for development and suggested consideration of several revisions to the initial design.

Following this panel session and the advice received, the client provided Bondstones architectural liberty to reimagine the project - expanding on the original residential concept but allowing freedom to explore site opportunities and to assimilate guidance from the DRP... 

The revised design reconfigured the project to maintain the brief - but removing elements that the client had initially directed and instead bringing in light wells and new elements that reverted to the rectilinear form of the original water tank... a key aspiration put recommended by the DRP process.

Bondstones 3D depiction of the proposal - following Design Review feedback

Successful Outcome

Following a redesign to overcome the original refusal provided by the council - the project resulted in a successful "written representations" appeal to the Planning Inspectorate... 

Despite delays due to COVID-19 and a change in site ownership, Bondstones continued to provide architectural services and supported our client in successfully appealing the planning decision (with additional support from a specialist solicitor).

The Planning Inspector recognised the situation of the property as an isolated dwelling in the countryside and noted the "great amount of thought" that had been put into the design of the project - they also placed great weight on the fall-back-position (which the planning authority had wrongly discounted). 

Ultimately, the property was sold (with planning consent) to a 3rd party developer and was recently completed according to Bondstones' design vision...

After completion the property was placed on the market with a valuation of £1.25m - representing a ~12-15x increase in original site value (after estimated construction and associated costs are considered).

The finished development achieved an AA energy performance rating (the highest possible), and is fully off-grid, powered by solar PV, battery storage and air source heating.  In fact, we understand that the energy assessor advised that the efficiency was quite literally off the scale - and a AA was as high as he could award!

This not only highlights the sustainability of the project but also its alignment with modern environmental standards - making this a truly sustainable 'eco house' - a perfect example of thoughtful design and practical implementation...

Image c/o Luscombe Maye

Another "AA" project

This development project exemplifies the type of opportunity that Bondstones relish.

Our in-house architecture and planning teams work tirelessly for clients to produce 1st class outcomes.

To find out how we can put our expertise to good use for your property or project please contact us!

Image c/o Luscombe Maye

Images in this article used by kind permission: c/o Luscombe Maye Estate Agents  
https://luscombemaye.com/property/gnaton-yealmpton-south-devon-2/