RESIDENTS fear their village will be ruined by a Grand Designs-style house built on stilts, saying it will stick out like sore thumb.
The ambitious scheme by Joe Pritchard has been signed off by Folkestone and Hythe District Council even though the futuristic house in Ivychurch, Kent, would seem out of place in the flat Romney Marsh.
hawkesarchitectureThe proposal got the green light from the local council at a planning meeting on Tuesday[/caption] hawkesarchitectureIt has been designed to sit five metres off the ground so it will keep the living space clear of potential floodwater[/caption] hawkesarchitectureOne person who objected to the plan said it was out of keeping with the landscape[/caption]The property will feature sweeping glass frontages, incorporating sustainable materials as well as “energy-saving technology”.
It has been designed to sit five metres off the ground so it will keep the living space clear of potential floodwater and create parking and a garage beneath, which will also have secure cycle storage.
Due to strict council rules and regulations, new housing proposals in open countryside are usually thrown out but national policy allows exceptions in cases of “outstanding or innovative” designs which can be shown to raise architectural standards and meet high sustainability targets.
Planning officers have admitted the proposal in Wenhams Lane was unconventional for the location.
However, the nearest neighbours will be more than 100 metres away and the council officials concluded it would not infringe on anyone’s privacy or block light.
They also indicated it could serve as “an excellent opportunity to regenerate the site” setting a standard for quality design.
Objections though, have been raised to the proposal.
Cllr John Goldsmith, from Ivychurch Parish Council, said in the planning documents: “We had our parish meeting and the only concern we had about the new build is the height.
“It looks as if the top storey of the building is over 10 metres high and will not only stick out like a sore thumb but also look directly over the surrounding land.
“Do the legs of the building have to be five metres high?”
Also submitting a written comment was resident Julie Baile who said: “The 10 metre height of the proposed dwelling is too tall.
“The building will be visually intrusive and will dominate the scenery as Romney Marsh is very flat.
“Because of the size of the dwelling, it looks as if it’s a public building and so is out of keeping with the landscape.”
Due to the marsh’s maze of ditches and waterways, much of the land is at high risk of flooding in the future.
The Environment Agency has recommended the home have no bedrooms on the ground floor because of the danger, reports KentOnline.
Cllr Mike Blakemore said: “One day we will look back on this and think ‘what on earth were we thinking?’
“It’s not just tidal flooding – when the marsh came close to flooding last year it was due to rainfall.”
However, he did praise the eco-friendly aspects to the project as well as its innovative look but also questioned if it would really “raise the quality of design elsewhere” in the area.
Others have spoken out in favour of the scheme.
Cllr Adrian Lockwood, speaking at the planning committee meeting held on Tuesday night, said: “That design of this nature is quite often controversial and quite a lot of people don’t like it.
“It’s obviously modern, striking, a good use of the space and it’s got good credentials in terms of its carbon footprint.
“We revere buildings like the Grand on the Leas in Folkestone, but that was modern 130 years ago and I bet people moaned about it then.”
Following the debate, the committee voted to approve the application.
In the wake of that decision a spokesperson from Hawkes Architecture, the firm behind the scheme, said: “The house is elevated in response to the unique environmental situation faced by all inhabitants of the Romney Marsh plain in that the entire area has been reclaimed through a combination of natural and man-made processes over centuries.
“Rising sea levels require enhanced sea defences to keep this low-lying area clear, yet there is no real sense that this vast area is only kept clear by significant engineering interventions.
“Whilst this site is within a distinctly flat open rural landscape, the new dwelling does sit adjacent to a farmhouse which once occupied the site.
“The narrow and long site is well defined by its tree and boundary hedge cover, which stands in contrast to the general openness of the field network.
“It is not yet known when work will start.”
hawkesarchitectureMuch of the land is at high risk of flooding in the future.[/caption]Hence then, the article about our village will be ruined by grand designs house built on stilts it s 10m high will stick out like a sore thumb was published today ( ) and is available on The Sun ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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