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A well-respected client approached us to carry out the feasibility on a site in a leafy south London suburb, to provide 5 self-contained apartments.

D4P undertook a thorough investigation of the site, looking at the adopted and emerging planning policies together with contextual analysis of the area; this enabled us to assess the development potential of the site, and explore the design options that were most likely to secure planning permission together with enhancing their business case.

Our research highlighted the following points:

• The site is surrounded by conservation areas but is not a part of it,
• There are numerous Grade II and locally listed buildings,
• The area is typified with large detached and semi-detached houses in a very vernacular residential architectural language.
• The site used to be protected in the past, this designation is now removed hence it possess a lot of potential.
• The site has a lot of mature trees of good quality.

Following this analytical research, we carried out a volumetric analysis to ascertain the maximum developable volume; which is shown below diagrammatically:

Maximum Volume

Maximum Volume is established by extruding the site boundary

Volume reduction as per 25° BRE rule

The 25° BRE rule stipulates that any new development has to be lower than a line drawn from the centre of the lowest window at 25 degrees

Resultant Volume

Location and root protection extents of existing trees

The site contains a number of mature trees of good quality which will be retained

Resultant Volume

Volume reduction responding to prevalent building lines and setbacks

The character of the area is defined by the established buildings which are setback from the road. Respecting and responding to these parameters allows a sinuous integration of the proposals.

Final Volume

Lastly, this volumetric study is completed by analysing the sun shading. The rear edge is set back to mitigate any overshadowing on the neighbouring properties.

Through D4P’s detailed feasibility study we have identified that the site has the potential to accommodate more residential units than initially anticipated, thereby adding value to our client’s land and giving us three potential design options to explore; six large terraced houses, or possibly five large detached and semi-detached houses, or up to twelve self-contained apartments:

Option A:
6 terraced houses nestled within existing trees

Option B
5 detached and semi-detached houses nestled within existing trees

Option C:
12 self-contained apartments nestled within existing trees

Result

A very happy client!

Next Steps:

• Develop the site layout
• Develop landscape setting and character
• Develop floor plans, elevations, section and the material strategy
• Submit Pre-App by the end of the month

If you are a developer looking to add value to your project why not ask D4P architects to explore the maximum potential value of your land.