Replacement dwelling in a rural location within the High Weald AONB, creating a quality family home built using traditional materials. We were appointed to prepare proposals for a replacement dwelling on the site of an existing bungalow in a rural setting within the High Weald AONB. Our clients purchased the property with permission to extend the existing 1960’s bungalow to a 5 bed bungalow. We believed a better design could be achieved which was more appropriate for the site. The replacement dwelling was carefully located slightly further from the road to allow the owners to remain in the property during the build. Our clients brief was to provide a 3 bedroom quality family home which would provide them with the space required for a family and maintain their outdoor hobbies (incl.horseriding). The replacement dwelling offered a more flexible space than the previously approved design on this site. We engaged with Mid Sussex District Council at an early stage with a pre-planning meeting with the planning department, receiving positive feedback that the principle of a replacement dwelling would be acceptable on this site. Planning permission was subsequently secured on the basis that it was appropriate to its local setting and does not alter significantly from the scale of the existing building and is not obtrusive within the landscape. The design uses local traditional building materials and methods which are much more in keeping with the nearby properties than the existing building or approved scheme. A sustainable approach was planned with a timber frame structural grid worked into the plan. The lowered eaves reduce the roof height whilst maintaining enough space for living accommodation at first floor making the most of the views of the locality. The building was orientated to suit the existing site constraints and for passive solar gain with more glazing on the south elevation and reduced glazing on the north elevation. The building was highly insulated and with high quality window specification. Our aim was to provide a sympathetic solution responding to the clients brief. The client took a hands on role as self-builder, managing the contractor and sub-contractors during the build. We were later appointed to secure permissions for a home office and tack room as part of the existing garaging arrangement, and extension to the kitchen/dining area and further utility and bootroom space. Photographs courtesy of Jackson Stops Mid Sussex