The brief was to provide a sustainable form of development for ‘affordable’ housing on a ‘brownfield’ site, formerly a clay mine, situated in the area of Jetty Marsh in Newton Abbot. The site is a ‘Gateway’ to extensive further development that is proposed along the new Jetty Marsh carriageway. Set within a nationally important wetland environment a careful design approach was adopted to both maintain views across the site as well as respond to the requirement for a prominent architectural statement. The scheme had to present a balance in design terms when visualised in conjunction with the new NHS hospital development immediately opposite, together presenting a gateway to further development land beyond. Detailing and appearance responds to the local vernacular and presents a carefully chosen palette of materials to compliment the wetland setting. The development presents a president for high quality contemporary design in the locality and yet remains a mixed tenure ‘affordable’ housing scheme catering for local need.