Site Address: Tumbledown Farm, Tunbridge Wells Road, Argos Hill, Rotherfield, TN6 3QL
Local Authority Ref: WD/2023/2551/F
Local Authority: Wealden District Council
Delegated Decision Date: 26th June 2024
Congratulations to Seymour-Smith Architects, SEED Landscape Design (Landscape Architects) and Hughes Planning (Planning Consultants) as well as Oakbank Game & Conservation Ltd and Ecology by Design Ltd who, following engagement with and support from The Design Review Panel (www.designreviewpanel.co.uk), have achieved a planning approval for a new country house within the High Weald National Landscape (AONB) in East Sussex; the planning application was approved by Wealden District Council under delegated powers at the end of June 2024.
The Design Review Panel is delighted that engagement with the Panel during the pre-application design stage was able to contribute towards the development of a proposal that has met the very high bar of paragraph 84e of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and was also considered by the Local Planning Authority to represent outstanding and innovative design.
The Wealden Council officers delegated report states the following: -
"The design has evolved through two Design Review Panels and the dwelling seeks to achieve Passivhaus Plus standard … Of relevance to this particular proposal given the Design Review Panel involvement and high level of design sought are paras 138 and 139. These require the LPA to give regard to design review panel comments and give significant weight to ‘outstanding or innovative designs which promote high levels of sustainability or help raise the standard of design more generally in an area, so long as they fit in with the overall form and layout of their surroundings."
"The Design Review Panel [www.designreviewpanel.co.uk] report on the second submission to them was clear that the dwelling could be commended as being truly outstanding and reflecting the highest standard in architecture in their view based on the approach to the design and the exceptionally high sustainability credentials sought with the scheme together with the integration of the dwelling to the meadow and woodland landscape and the ecological enhancements to these."
"In this instance the proposal would provide a dwelling that would truly drive forward the sustainability agenda delivering a Passivhaus plus dwelling in an enhanced landscape and ecological setting... What is clear is that the Local Plan does not attach the level of weight to these exceptional standards of design or the emphasis on high levels of sustainability that the local Plan does (principally because of its age). In this instance the fact that the dwelling is assessed by Independent Review Panels to meet the 84(e) threshold (that would permit the dwelling as a new dwelling under the NPPF in this location where it deemed isolated for which the Applicant believes is the case) that given this emphasis is repeated with the wider NPPF (para 139) that coupled with the approach to securing a Passivhaus plus dwelling (shown to be modelled not just aspirational in this instance) that these specific factors warrant granting consent for the replacement dwelling contrary to the narrow conflict with the Local Plan."
Rob Hughes of Hughes Planning has provided the following comment:-
“Hughes Planning is delighted to announce its most recent approval of a new country house in Wealden, situated within the High Weald National Landscape (AONB).
Planning permission was granted in June 2024 under delegated powers, the scheme having received the support of the local Parish Council. The scheme comprised the replacement of an existing (very small) dwelling with a new dwelling of much larger scale, and of outstanding design. This is an interesting decision insofar as the LPA deemed the site to not be isolated, and therefore whilst acknowledging that the proposal satisfied all of the criteria within paragraph 84e of the NPPF (December 2023) and having reached the ‘high bar’ that it sets, it was approved as a hybrid leaning on other policies, including the weight which paragraph 139 of the NPPF attaches to outstanding and innovative design, and those policies which attach weight to enhancing valued landscapes and securing a high level of energy efficiency.
The scheme represents another successful approval for Hughes Planning working in collaboration with Seymour-Smith Architects and SEED Landscape Design.
We would like to thank our wonderful clients who richly deserve the outcome we secured, and also The Design Review Panel who assisted in the direction of travel of the design during the evolution of the scheme, and ultimately endorsed its quality as being truly outstanding. We would also extend our thanks to the LPA and in particular the Case Officer who remained communicative throughout the application process and who demonstrated professionalism in balancing up the various planning and environmental policies and considerations.
This represents Hughes Planning’s 25th Para 84e approval in 21 different local authority areas in 16 counties of England."
The project landscape architect Jack Marshall of SEED Landscape Design has said:-
“The starting point of this process was to repair a damaged ancient woodland, to secure its future and to significantly increase the biodiversity and habitats on the site. This was very important to our client and fundamental to our proposals.
Once we had worked out the proposed house location, we applied to the Forestry Commission to thin, plant and manage all the woodland within the ownership boundary. The woodland management plan purpose is to restore and manage the woodland for ecological betterment. This is made possible by the introduction of a family house and a 30-year management plan.
The landscape around the house was mainly focused on tucking the building into its carefully chosen location and making the very most of its potential wonderful context.
The garden design was very understated. A natural swimming pool was sculpted into the existing landform on the western side of the house. A simple family terrace was created next to the pool linking it to the house. A small south facing terrace overlooks a new woodland glade with informal paths leading off to explore the wonderful woodland context.”
The Design Review Panel (www.designreviewpanel.co.uk) provides independent, impartial, multidisciplinary and expert design review Panel sessions for applicants, design teams and local authorities, nationally across England.
Feedback from The Design Review Panel is a material consideration in accordance with paragraph 138 on The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
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