Swinhay House is set within a 230 acre farmland estate and was designed to replace an old farm house by David Austin in close collaboration with the owner. It gained planning consent in 2001 under the PPG7 Country House policy, a precursor of the current NPPF79 policy, which allowed for the creation of houses of exceptional and outstanding architectural and landscape quality, a modern take on the traditional country house. The overall scheme includes a large Estate Managers house and farm buildings, and the planning permission includes an Indoor Riding Arena, Farmhouse and Plant Nursery. The house is a space dedicated to family gatherings and, alongside bedrooms and apartments, its accommodation includes a large kitchen and dining area overlooking an indoor winter garden, a 25m indoor swimming pool, squash court, cinema room, bowling alley and a large underground car park. The house is earth sheltered with dramatic, sweeping, organic forms; the walls and roof emerge from the landscape and rise up to support the central look-out tower. The building is extremely energy efficient and includes many innovative technologies alongside fabric-first investments in insulation and solar control. Its large lakes act as a heat store and supply seasonal heating and cooling.