CLOSED: Ennor Farm Self & Custom Build Project: Pre-Planning Application Consultation. 30th November – 14th December 2020
The pre-planning application consultation has now closed. The Planning Application for this scheme can be viewed here.
The proposed site at Ennor Farm, Old Town is looking to deliver Self & Custom Build serviced plots to households wishing to build their own home! We are looking to submit a planning application for this scheme in the new year and turn this aspiration into a reality.
We would really appreciate your views on the plans and sketches completed to date which are available to view on the side panel of this webpage.
The purpose of this Virtual Consultation is to make sure we hear the views of the community on Scilly and make sure our plans are considerate of these. We have previously run public consultations with the Self-Build Register and the wider community and are hoping the plans shown here have considered the feedback already received to bring forward an exciting housing opportunity.
The plans currently available for comment, which will be submitted as part of our planning application, are:
- Site layout - proposed
- Draft house types and elevations
There are also some illustrative images available to show how the scheme could look, which will be determined as part of the individual self-builder’s designs, in line with the Duchy of Cornwall’s design code work:
- Draft Elevations - Site Layout and house types
More information on where to send your feedback, FAQs on the project and the plans available for comment; can be found on the right-hand tab of this webpage.
This consultation will run from Monday 30th November until Monday 14th December 2020, at 5pm.
Please submit comments via email to: LiveScilly@scilly.gov.uk
Further information on the plans available can be found below.
Site Layout
The site layout has been carefully considered by the design team and informed by four key factors, namely, the brief, site constraints, site opportunities, and consultation with the local community.
The Council’s brief was to provide a layout for 13 serviced, detached and semi-detached self-build plots, alongside an informal communal car park, a community orchard, community allotments and a wildlife pond.
Although the site can be characterised as greenfield it is not without constraints that have directly informed the layout. One such constraint is created by high ground water levels at the site’s lowest point in the north west corner. Although this essentially creates a large no build zone, it also provides an opportunity to develop this part of the site to provide key ancillary spaces such as the informal car park, community orchard, community allotments and wildlife pond described in the Council’s vision for the site.
On the 5th February 2020 a public consultation was held on St. Mary’s in the form of a ‘Self Build Session’. During this session an initial proving layout (by others) was tabled and members of the public were encouraged to put forward their views on the layout and what they would like to see on the site.
The general consensus was that a more outward looking scheme was preferred, adopting a perimeter block approach with secondary parking and amenity courtyards. This perimeter block approach ensures that all communal and open spaces are naturally surveyed by the houses, whilst maintaining an efficient use of space in order to maximise the amount of communal space.
Draft House types & Elevations
In order to assist with the creation of the design code, and show prospective self-builders what could be achieved, several illustrative house types have been developed.
The house types seek to explore how different layouts can be achieved. Flexibility within the plan is ultimately dictated by key design decisions such as the location of the staircase, the desired number of bedrooms, whether the kitchen is located at the front or back of the property and how ‘open plan’ the self-builder wishes their home to be.
Adaptability can be designed into a home by ensuring that there is flexibility for a home to change over the course of a homeowner’s lifetime. For example, illustrative house types C & D demonstrate that a twin or double bedroom can be easily sub-divided in order to create two single bedrooms, changing the house from a two- bedroom to a three-bedroom property.
Each of the illustrative house types have been designed to the Nationally Described Space Standards (see below table) and Approved Document M4 Category 2. This means that they have been designed to be ‘accessible and adaptable’ in order to ‘meet the needs of occupants with differing needs’ and ‘to allow adaptation of the dwelling to meet changing needs of occupants over time.’ This is achieved by providing elements such as larger ground floor WCs that can be easily adapted into an accessible shower, and improved space standards across the whole house.
Draft Elevations - Design Code & Plot Passports
The land at Ennor Farm has been allocated for the delivery of a high-quality locally distinctive development, built to sustainable standards using a palette of local materials.
Based on a strategy for self-build, the site plan and building plots have been determined through a consultation process to create a small sustainable development, which will be guided by design principles in the form of a Design Code and subsequently, plot passports.
The Design Code, which is currently a work in progress, will describe the rules and quality standards expected, which will guide each plot homebuilder on the intended character of the scheme including, but not limited to:
- The form & siting of the development – boundaries and set-backs
- Building heights, scale, massing & building relationships
- Building materials & options for different configurations
- Colour palette options
- Roofs, doors & windows.
- Bin storage / recycling
- Car parking
Plot Passports will subsequently be produced to provide a summary of the design parameters for individual plots, capturing all relevant information, including any planning & design constraints.
To inform the Design Code, we have produced sketch studies exploring options for materials and colour compositions. These are based upon the current site layout and unit types to be submitted for outline application. The aim at this stage is to explore the relationship between the dwellings and consider ways of creating local distinctiveness whilst providing opportunities for individual choice utilising slate roofs, granite / stone walling, cladding systems, painted render finishes & boundary enclosures.
The current elevational studies show units along the eastern boundary of the site on Old Town Lane and the western boundary. The drawings show 2 options for a possible mix of unit types and opportunities for choice of external materials and colours, including details for elements such as storm porches and roof dormers. Where possible it is likely that stone boundary walls will be introduced, and the drawings aim to show how these or similar elements could run throughout the development.