Approved Planning for Family Home in Chigwell Essex

Unanimous approval has been given from the planning committee of Epping Forest for our new build seven-bedroom home in the leafy suburbs of Chigwell, Essex.

There was a former approval from 2007 entailing a two-storey rear extension and loft conversion, which had since expired. Initially, our company were brought in to review the original planning application and produce an updated design for the extension. The client required six bedrooms to house his family and guests, each with en-suite bathroom facilities, and the need for an open plan living, dining and kitchen space which would be adaptable for domestic life.

The project then shifted direction from a rear extension to the existing building, to a completely new build design, which would be uninhibited by the constraints of the differing floor levels and layouts compromised by a later extension over the garage. We produced a feasibility study addressing the client’s core requirements through a dialogue of iteration and feedback.

The final design for the house was submitted for planning in May and incorporated a total of five double and two single bedrooms. The house also features a garage, a spacious open-plan kitchen, along with living, and dining space which is reconfigurable with room-dividing partitions. The primary living space has been designed to give an unobstructed panoramic view of the long garden at the rear of the property. Large sliding doors open out onto a patio area, giving the living space a meaningful connection to the outdoors. A fully glazed mid-section to the front elevation allows natural light to permeate through the three-storey atrium which connects the house’s programmatic spaces.

The style of the house is a contemporary interpretation of the Arts and Crafts style of the early 20th century, with asymmetrical features such as the two-storey bay window to the front. The use of timber and white render is sympathetic of the surrounding context and original house, which is typified by a mix of Arts and Crafts and mock Tudor houses, all which utilise timber diversely. We believe that our careful appreciation of the surrounding context and thorough response to comments during the application was the key to the scheme’s approval.

If you are looking to develop your home and require design advice regarding the improvements, please contact Mark Fairhurst Architects on T: 020 7407 7070 or E: info@mark-fairhurst.co.uk to arrange a free consultation.