New build housedesign in the South West

Before buying land, or before designing on land you own, we carry out a site appraisal. We look at planning policy, access, ground conditions, flood risk, ecology, trees, views and orientation. The appraisal tells you what is realistic and what it is likely to cost to unlock. It is the most valuable money spent on a new build.

The South West offers extraordinary sites and strict policy to protect them. National Parks such as Dartmoor and Exmoor, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty such as the Mendip Hills, the Quantocks and the Wye Valley, and the open countryside all limit where new homes can go.

The most common routes are a plot within a settlement boundary, a replacement dwelling, or the conversion of an existing building. In open countryside, national policy allows isolated new homes of exceptional quality, often referred to as Paragraph 84 houses. The bar is very high, but for the right site and client it can lead to remarkable architecture.

In Wales, Planning Policy Wales and local development plans apply, with similar restrictions on new homes in the countryside. We prepare a planning strategy before design begins, and we use pre-application advice to test it with the council.

We design new homes to be highly insulated, airtight and comfortable all year. Orientation, window placement and shading come first, then building fabric, then technology such as air source heat pumps and solar. Self-builders may be eligible for an exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy, but it must be claimed before work starts.

We prefer construction systems that are robust and repairable: timber frame or masonry, natural claddings, slate and stone. Materials are chosen to weather well in a wet, windy climate, which matters on the coast of Devon and the hills of Wales.

A new home involves many specialists: structural and civil engineers, ecologists, landscape architects, energy assessors and building control. We lead and coordinate the team, prepare the tender package and can administer the building contract on site, protecting quality and cost on your behalf.

We help you choose the right procurement route. A traditional contract with full design before tender gives the most cost certainty. A two-stage tender brings a builder in earlier, which can help on complex sites. For self-builders managing trades directly, we can provide a more detailed package and periodic site visits.

Much of the effort on a rural new build is invisible in the finished house. Bat and bird surveys may be needed for any building being replaced, and some surveys can only be done in certain months. Off-grid sites need a drainage solution such as a treatment plant. Biodiversity net gain now applies to many applications in England, requiring a measurable improvement in habitat. We plan these early so they never delay the programme.