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February 13, 2022
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by Mette McLarney

Epping, Essex

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1644773450019{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client Haynes New Homes   Task Prepare an Outline Planning Application for 62 new homes and associated infrastructure [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Architect [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text]The Site is situated in a village of Thornwood north of Epping  with good connections to the M11, M25 and London  (by road, rail and underground). Working closely with Epping Forest District Council and their Quality Review Panel (QRP), the initial concept of ' Village grouped around a green' (top image) was revisited over eight iterations to reach the final design (centre image) which has a much more compact  and dense urban form than the original scheme.   The challenge was to balance the requirements of the Essex Design Guide, specifically how analysis of the surrounding settlement  influences the layout, with the requirements of the Council and its QRP. Part of the site is allocated for development but the number of homes and the associated open space, surface water drainage, access and retention of trees was...

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January 16, 2022
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by Mette McLarney

Bramford, Suffolk

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1636555062004{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client Concertus/Suffolk County Council   Task Prepare an Outline Planning Application for 114 new homes and associated infrastructure [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Architect [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text]Bramford is situated just over two miles north-west of Ipswich, the county town of Suffolk, and has been in existence for well over 1,000 years. The River Gripping has always been central to the lives of the people and the name of the village suggests that it began life as a favoured crossing point.   Working with Concertus, Phase 2 Planning, David Jarvis Associates and Ingent, Bluepencil Designs prepared the Design and Access Statement and parameter plans as well as a detailed layout and 3D model to illustrate the capacity of the site and to show how the neighbourhood plan could be delivered. The very constrained site was criss crosses with underground utilities and existing footpaths and hedgerows. The layout was carefully designed to create a new development with interesting views, vistas and 'events' as one...

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April 8, 2021
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by Mette McLarney

Ipswich, Suffolk

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1615385992359{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client Concertus/Suffolk County Council   Task Prepare an Outline Planning Application for 170 new homes and associated infrastructure [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Architect [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text]Copdock and Washbrook is a civil parish in the Babergh district, in the county of Suffolk, England. It covers the villages of Copdock and Washbrook, as well as the hamlets of Coles Green, Mace Green and Washbrook Street. In 2006 the parish had an estimated population of 1,130. Old maps of Copdock show it to be a small, dispersed farming village with a river at its lowest point and defined field boundaries. Old London Road separates the village, to the west, and St Peter’s Church, Copdock Hall, and the Rectory  to the east.   Working with Concertus, Phase 2 Planning, David Jarvis Associates and Ingent, Bluepencil Designs prepared the Design and Access Statement and parameter plans as well as a detailed layout and 3D model to illustrate the capacity of the site and to show how the...

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March 9, 2021
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by Mette McLarney

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1614526511213{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client F. Rusere   Task Design a Luxury Holiday Retreat [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Architect [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text] The brief was to design an Ecotourism luxury holiday village retreat at a site near the Victoria Falls. The Victoria Falls is a UNESCO Site located along the Zambezi River that is  on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The proposed Holiday Retreat comprises three different dwelling types including some based on the traditional thatched round houses of Zimbabwe. The retreat will be entirely solar powered with water sourced from boreholes.   The largest dwelling is a 3 bedroomed house with large open plan living/dining/kitchen area with double sets of  French doors opening onto two large verandas. The design is based on traditional long houses found in Zimbabwe, with lofty open roof space and large verandas.   The other two house types are based on the traditional round house with a double bedroom with ensuite and kitchen/ dining/ living space. There are two variations of...

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January 12, 2021
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by Mette McLarney

Lowestoft, Suffolk

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1610457284990{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client Suffolk County Council/Concertus   Task Preparation of an Masterplan [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Masterplanner [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text] The Public Consultation on a masterplan for up to 1300 homes,  employment land, neighbourhood centre, school and public open space including a SANG is now live at northoflowestoft.co.uk [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height="40px"][qodef_button size="" type="outline" target="_blank" icon_pack="" font_weight="" text="Download project sheet" link="https://bluepencildesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/North-of-Lowestoft-Garden-Village.pdf"][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

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March 11, 2021
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by Mette McLarney

Sittingbourne, Kent

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1647095239975{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client Rosechurch Homes/Trenport   Task Prepare an Detailed Planning Application for 30 new homes and associated infrastructure - Planning consent achieved in 2020 [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Architect [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text]Rosechurch Homes is part of the Trenport Property Holdings Ltd group of Companies. Bluepencil designs were commissioned to create a set of  'Standard Housetypes' which were then market tested by  Jo Simpson Research and altered according to the market feedback.   The site in Sittingbourne had Outline Planning Consent for 33 houses. The site is very constrained due to its shape. The parking standards at Swale Borough Council are generous and there was a limited range of housetypes to plot, all of which proved to be quite a challenge.   The layout is based on a circular road with a central shared surface route from north to south. There are good pedestrian and cycle connections from the site to the wider network. The house designs are well proportioned and deliberately simple with...

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February 19, 2021
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by Mette McLarney

Weeley, Essex

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1613749004725{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client Rose   Task Preparation of Capacity Study and Detailed 3D models of 25 housetypes [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Architect [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text]The site has Outline Planning permission for 270 new houses, a School and a commercial Zone and sits adjacent to the offices of Tendring District Council, the Local Authority who gave the permission.   Bluepencil were commissioned to prepare drawings and Design Statement for a detailed application. The first task was to undertake a capacity study showing how the precise mix and number of housetypes could be accommodated on the site.   All 25 housetypes, as well as garages, carports and flats over garages (Fogs) were modelled in detail in 3D. Another set of 3D  data linked housetypes were also modelled so that a detailed schedule of accommodation and total net internal area could be provided for each iteration of the layout. As the brief changed several times during the design development, this was an essential tool for the client...

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January 11, 2021
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by Mette McLarney

Finchingfield, Essex

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1647095318175{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client Huntstowe Land   Task Preparation of an Outline Planning Application - Planning consent achieved in 2021 [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Architect [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text]Finchingfield has been called the most beautiful village in England, a "picture-postcard" village and one of the most photographed, with a duck pond and village green surrounded by Georgian and medieval cottages; St John the Baptist Church on the hill; an eighteenth-century windmill; three public houses; Post Office; tea rooms; a hall; a primary school; and a doctor's surgery. It often appears in television programmes, films, and commercials, as well as on chocolate boxes, biscuit tins, and other products.   The illustrative layout shows dispersed housing at the edges and a traditional streetscape in the centre with buildings directly fronting the street. There is open space and a pond at the entrance to the site and informal green swathes (characteristic of the edge of village landscape found in this part of Essex) around which the new housing...

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January 14, 2021
in
by Mette McLarney

Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1647095443029{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client Class Q   Task Preparation of an Outline Planning Application for 73 dwellings - Planning consent achieved in 2021 [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Architect [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text]The site at Strawberry Farm was used as a cherry orchard with an existing access to the east of the site. To the north of the site is the farm with its collection of agricultural buildings. To the south is a railway line and to the west is open countryside.   The layout shows the retention of all existing trees, with the exception of the orchard itself, a strong landscape buffer on all sides, a public open space in the centre and further open spaces containing detention basins and wildflower meadows.   Key buildings are located at gateways and vista stops. All open spaces have buildings fronting on to them. There is a well balanced range of dwelling types from 1 bed apartments to four bedroom houses. The illustrative layout is very detailed for an...

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April 16, 2019
in
by Mette McLarney

Meppershall, Bedfordshire

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1647095557995{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}"] Client Inland Homes   Task Preparation of a Detailed Planning Application - Planning consent achieved in 2018 [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Role Architect [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height="20px"][vc_column_text]This site lies at the settlement edge of a small village in Bedfordshire and required a sensitive approach and careful consultation with the local residents and their parish council.   The design is based around a linear park which leads one from the northern entrance to the southern park and open countryside beyond. The houses are designed to be appropriate for their setting and are predominantly of gault brick under slate roofs with paired down detailing, as is characteristic of this area. By contrast the landscape is richly detailed and provides the perfect backdrop. The roads are mostly shared surface with textured strips at junctions to encourage slow speeds.   The revit modelled house designs were useful for the CGI designer,  who was able to import the files directly into his software, saving a great deal of time...

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