Whether in a rural or urban setting, the majority of brand new homes being built are in established locations where numerous period buildings illustrate the local architectural style. Some housebuilders are particularly keen to acknowledge this in the design of their latest developments.
We recently looked at a range of sites in the Cotswolds which were extensively inspired by that region’s distinctive vernacular, but we’ve found a number of developments around the country which have their own take on combining traditional architecture with today’s high standards of build and specification.
St Mary’s Garden Village, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Edenstone Group sales director Adele McCoy explained: “Homes at St Mary’s Garden Village respect the heritage of the area while also providing high-quality housing to meet the demands of modern living. We’ve carefully considered the design of the homes to reflect and complement the existing local architecture. The result is a striking development, combining Arts & Crafts style architecture along with some contemporary elements. For example, the four-bedroom detached ‘Farnham’ has mock-Tudor boarding, reminiscent of the feature introduced during the Arts & Crafts era in the late 19th century.
“The homes are being built with materials reflective of the surrounding area, including a mix of red brick and off-white render with Tudor boarding for key buildings. Roofs are being made up of either grey or red/brown tile. All window frames are off-white with arched brick heads, brick cills and string course dentil detailing all in contrasting blue brick. Fascias and eaves are being finished in white to contrast the Black Tudor boarding and black uPVC rainwater goods.”
Current availability includes two-bedroom semi-detached bungalows, three-bedroom detached bungalows and four-bedroom detached two-storey homes on the Edenstone phase, with prices ranging from £229,995 to £429,995. Find out more at edenstonehomes.com.
Curzon Park, Wingerworth, Derbyshire
Bellway East Midlands sales director, Carolyne Watkinson, said: “We are seeing lots of interest in Wingerworth for homes which reflect the local heritage and surroundings, which is why we have carefully planned the style of homes at this exclusive development to do just that. We have been receiving lots of great feedback from people about the new homes here and their harmonious design within the character of the village.”
At Curzon Park, Bellway is building 222 new homes, including 53 affordable properties, at its development off Derby Road in the village. The housebuilder has designed the homes to reflect the architectural styles of existing buildings around the village, ensuring that the new homes blend in well to their surroundings. Typical traditional features include gables, window heads, hipped roofs, high ceilings and chimneys. There is currently a range of three- and four-bedroom homes available to reserve at Curzon Park, with prices ranging from £205,000 to £375,000. Find out more about Bellway developments.
The Dell, Talkin Village, Cumbria
This is an exclusive development of six luxury detached homes that combine a rural setting and local design with the special views of the countryside, being on the edge of the North Pennines AONB. The architecture incorporates buff stone and cream rendered walls with a Welsh slate roof and each property sits in its own substantial landscaped garden and grounds. Inside, there are further traditional touches, including the lounge featuring stone fireplace and wood burning stove, combined with thoroughly modern things such as underfloor heating, a home office and sunroom. The development itself has some stone walls to echo the famous local style. Two four-bedroom homes with integral double garage remain for sale, priced £595,000 and £625,000. Find out more at citadel-homes.co.uk.
Brompton Gardens, Ascot, Berkshire
51 brand new properties are being built here, and six luxurious apartments created within the 134-year-old Brackens House, which was originally built in the 1880s for the wealthy King George family, who relocated from Kensington to the quiet woodlands on the outskirts of Ascot.
“We were fascinated by the story of Captain William King George and his family, and decided that this would be the inspiration behind the way we developed the site,” said Andrew Saunders-Davies, chairman of Berkeley Homes. “Remembering his love of horses, we have created an area that references traditional stable courtyard farms, while the adjacent buildings have design cues from the former smithy that once made horseshoes there. Throughout the development we will be using names connected with the Captain and his family to honour the memory of a young man who gave his life for his country.”
The design of each home at Brompton Gardens reflects the historic nature of the development and its landscaped grounds. Each of the new homes throughout the grounds have been designed using traditional proportions and details of Victorian and Edwardian housing, including dormers, chimneys and bay windows, reflecting the style and variety of traditional homes in the Ascot area. Prices at Brompton Gardens range from £665,000 for a two-bedroom apartment, £795,000 for a three-bedroom house and from £995,000 for a five-bedroom detached house. Find out more about Brompton Gardens from Berkeley Homes.
Kinnerton Meadows, Higher Kinnerton, Flintshire
Marie Morris, sales director for Elan Homes in the North, said: “At Elan we take a flexible approach, adapting our plans and the style of homes we build to complement each neighbourhood. For example, in the Flintshire village of Higher Kinnerton, many of the existing properties display influences of the architect John Douglas of Chester. Decorative brick features and bonds, hanging tiles and Tudor boarding are common features on properties within the village and we’ve incorporated these into the design of homes at Kinnerton Meadows. These small nuances have been welcomed by purchasers as they appreciate that we have considered how the new homes we’ve built are in keeping with properties in the surrounding area.”
The village of Higher Kinnerton enjoys a location that offers the best of town, country, coastal and village living. The North Wales coast and countryside are within easy reach plus the nearby towns of Wrexham and Mold, along with the city of Chester, are commutable. The final few four- and five-bedroom homes are now on sale at Kinnerton Meadows, priced from £344,995. Find out more at www.elan-homes.co.uk.
Northstowe, Cambridgeshire
Chris Webber, a planner for Barratt Homes, said: “We are proud of our priorities and principles, and we ensure customers are at the heart of everything we do. The interior layouts conform to very traditional designs. All kitchen and dining spaces however are generally open-plan, which we’ve found to be a very common request to accommodate modern family living.
“Everyone has their view on the ‘family’ home and how it looks but the majority of people follow a similar stance and expect to see certain elements in particular places. Traditional properties fit this common approach by providing the spaces inside that people are accustomed to, whereas contemporary properties aim to provide a new way of thinking. With Barratt Homes being a national housebuilder, it’s our responsibility to cater for everyone.”
The roofs of the Barratt properties are designed to follow a traditional Victorian street scene and, elevationally, the properties feature established stone detailing to the window heads and cills, along with additional stone around bay windows and carport links.
Currently, three-bedroom homes are available, from £337,995. Find out more about Northstowe from Barratt Homes.
Hope House, Bath, Somerset
The new build townhouses and apartment buildings have been designed to match the surrounding Bath architecture. Honey-coloured Bath Stone, sash windows, quality paving and handcrafted metalwork have been incorporated into the new build elements of the scheme, enabling them to complement the listed mansion and surrounding Bath properties. There is an original Georgian Grade II Listed mansion on the site which has been converted, and the new homes have been designed to blend seamlessly into one overall scheme. These are the three- and four-bedroom ‘Park Row’ townhouses, the three-bedroom ‘Hope Place’ townhouses and ‘Hope Place’ apartments. Prices range from £275,000 for a one-bedroom apartment to £2.35million for a four-bedroom apartment. Find out more about Hope House from Acorn Property Group.
Swanland Park, Helmsley, North Yorkshire
Helmsley, a few miles north of York, is a well-regarded village on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. Swanland Park has been a popular development of homes with a big nod to local style in features and finish. Regional housebuilder Wharfedale Homes has only a few properties left to sell: there are currently some two-bedroom bungalows available, from £309,950, and a notable detached house on Plot 24 with four double bedrooms (two en suite), utility room and integral garage. This is on sale for £489,950. Find out more at www.wharfedalehomes.co.uk.
Bower Place, Cottenham, Cambridgeshire
Housebuilder Bellway has planned its Bower Place development with meticulous attention to detail, using architectural styles of existing buildings in the village to ensure the new homes provide a sympathetic addition to their surroundings. Houses fronting Oakington Road, for example, include references to the style of traditional Cottenham villas, while the simple palette of materials used throughout the development include buff bricks and slate-grey roof tiles in keeping with the colours seen throughout the village. Among the typical features included in the new homes are gables, hipped roofs, doors and windows, window heads, high ceilings, chimneys, and the modern twist of solar panels on selected plots.
There’s currently a range of four- and five-bedroom new homes available with prices from £600,000 to £749,995. Find out more about Bellway developments.