Ingoldisthorpe

Project Orange designed a new custom self-build scheme in the village of Ingoldisthorpe, North Norfolk. Working in collaboration with custom build specialist LivedIn, Project Orange was commissioned to develop a scheme for twelve dwellings around an existing pond on a green field site on the edge of the village. The principle of development of the site had been established through a planning appeal and so the detailed proposals were to form the substance of a reserved matters planning application. The scheme won Best Cutom Build Project from Built It.

The final scheme proposes 10 detached houses of three primary types together with a pair of semi-detached affordable homes. The houses are simply arranged along two sides of the site and around the pond following a detailed study of rural typologies, village greens and commons. The landscaping, by Area Landscape, builds on the concept of the common and proposes reinforcing the local ecology through the planting of native pines, grasses and gorse and marginals around the pond. The houses are approached from two separate access roads, the limited number of dwellings per road removing the obligation to follow adoptable highway standards and allowing the preferred approach of informal gravel lanes considered more appropriate to the rural setting.

The individual house designs vary from 3 to 5 bedrooms and incorporate a variety of open-plan and more cellular areas - and double height voids with options available to support customisation. All houses are essentially vernacular in form but contemporary in detail; featuring steeply pitched roofs with raised gables, substantial chimneys and dormer windows. Large areas of glazing are proposed with the majority of windows full height.

The elevations combine a palette of locally distinctive Carrstone with soft red brick, natural larch or black stained batten on board cladding and red or black pantiles to roofs. These can be combined in a variety of ways in accordance with the principles established in a design code submitted as part of the planning application. This allows the self-build purchasers to customise the elevations both in terms of materials and fenestration.