Westleton Co-Housing; Final Design

Final Site Plan

The final site plan proposes to drastically open-up the frontage of the site, removing the existing overgrown hedge, revealing both the vicarage and the new development to the village. The proposal will be both physically (by footpath) and visually connected to the village.

Proposed view of Vicarage and new development from Darsham Road

The proposed dwellings nearest Darsham Road are set-back from the highway; existing trees to the side of the frontage are retained, and; the area between the proposed dwelling and the highway will be landscaped. This means that on first approach the proposed dwellings are not initially visible but the open landscaping produces a welcoming and subtle hint to what lies beyond. The ‘before’ and ‘after’ images from Darsham Road (below) show this subtle change to the frontage. This same effect is achieved from the Southern approach on Darsham Road.

Existing view along Darsham Road

Proposed view along Darsham Road

The proposed Church View Avenue (below) runs North-South down the centre of the Glebe land. It is lined on either side by dwellings that present their main entrance frontages to the avenue. To the west, plots 11-20 have their gables facing the avenue; they are set back from the shared surface access with a small front garden, parking space and path to the front door all landscaped to match-in with the main scheme.

Proposed Church View Avenue

A key focus of Church View Avenue was to capture the glimpse view of the church gable end through the mature tree lined boundary. The dwellings are carefully placed so that this view (as shown in the image to the right) is not only retained but celebrated when looking south down Church View Avenue.

The impact of the proposal on the view from Wash Lane was the main consideration when developing the built form and scale of the dwellings proposed on the Glebe land.

Proposed view from Wash Lane

Here the site is visible in the context of St Peters church (far right) as well as Phoenix Cottage (centre left) and the dwellings of Clematis Close (far left). The proposed dwellings (centre right) are designed to be a subtle addition to the landscape. Their gable ends face onto the field, helping break-up the mass of the buildings along the terrace. The terrace itself is interrupted by gaps to help break-up the roof-scape rhythm. The eaves and ridge height are kept very low so the proposed dwellings are not only vastly subservient to St Peters church but their roof-line is also kept below the trees in the background so the existing and natural skyline is retained. Material choice is also an important factor. The roof finish is proposed to be slate. Unlike the roofing of Clematis close which stands out because of its light nature, the very dark finish of slate will effectively disappear into the dark backdrop of trees behind. The gable ends of the proposed dwellings are largely glazed. To reduce the risk of this glazing creating glare, it is set back into the building form and as such is shaded by the roof and side walls. In addition to this the upper portion of the gable is semi concealed by timber louvres. The natural timber of the louvres themselves and the shadows they create ensure the gable ends, much like the roof finish, blend into their surroundings.

Westleton Co-Housing; Site Analysis

About Westleton

Westleton is a vibrant village with a population of approximately 349 people (census 2011). It is located north of Leiston and north-east of Saxmundham near the North Sea coast.

The village is on the edge of the Suffolk Sandlings, an area of lowland heathland. It is largely surrounded by agricultural farmland. To the East and South lie the Suffolk Coast and Heaths, and nature reserves which are joined to the village by the Westleton Heath Nature Reserve. RSPB Minsmere reserve is also 1 mile immediately east of the village.

Westleton high street is predominantly populated with a mix of Victorian and Edwardian dwellings and public buildings, with a few more recent additions dotted within the centre and on the fringes. It has a local village hall which is frequently utilised for many uses including film clubs, jazz nights, carpet bowls & council meetings, to name but a few. The village is also served by two pubs - The Westleton Crown which is across the road from Glebe Meadow, and The White Horse Inn. As well as public houses, the village also benefits from a church, a post office, two book shops, a tea room and a car garage.

Village Hall

The Crown Inn

Site location

The site (highlighted in pink on the map below), once belonging to the grounds of the church, is a 2.2 (approx) acre plot on the Western fringe of the village. It is accessed via a small lane from Darsham Road next to the Village Hall which is a focal point North from the centre of the village. To the West of the site lies wheat fields, and to the North a relatively recent housing development. Directly to the South of the site is St. Peters Church. The site itself incorporates the former vicarage to the church and its own residential curtilage including an area of land known as The Glebe to its rear (west).

Site Location Plan (not to scale)

Site Features:

The main  building  on  the  site  is  the  Vicarage,  sited centrally and is currently rented out as a private residence. There are also a further two buildings on the site, a single storey solid soft-red brickwork studio, and a small timber framed and timber clad garage.

The site is divided into a series of external areas. To the front of the site is the former front lawn of the vicarage. It is now under grazing rotation by the resident’s horse. The area to the South of the vicarage would have also been a lawn. The area borders onto the churchyard to the South (with a mature tree line) and the Glebe land to the west (with an overgrown hedge line). This area is currently left as scrub with a lone Oak at its centre.

To the West of the site is the Glebe land, which is now open paddock, however has historically always been used in conjunction with the occupation of the vicarage. To the North of the vicarage is a large London Plane tree. The tree is stands prominently next to the vicarage and shades its surrounding area. The space around is currently used as an access and parking area and external storage space for the vicarage.  

Glebe Meadow

Site Analysis:

An initial set of sketches has been derived from site visits which explore key potential drivers for design. 

One of these design drivers is the placement of existing significant trees, and the framed view lines that these create across the site. A tree survey has been carried out and analysis of this can be seen below. 

Exposure of the site was also explored, and the study conveys the exposure experienced through relative isolation/shading and elevation. The last diagram is an initial study of potential development areas.

Westleton Co-Housing; The Vision

The design brief for the co-housing scheme has been developed alongside the Glebe Meadow CIC, who describe the vision for co-housing as follows:

“We see co-housing as a way of group living with friendly, cooperative neighbours who look out for each other and provide support when needed. The aim is to promote neighbourliness, combat isolation and offer mutual support for individuals to be able to live independently for as long as possible”  

In essence, the aim is to deliver a high quality, age appropriate co-housing scheme for locals over 65 years old, that promotes health and social benefits & supports independent living. The vision for the scheme is to create an age appropriate development of 20 primary home dwellings for seniors around a shared social hub that:

• Creates a high quality, safe space that is vibrant, healthy and attractive for residents & that enables them to live full, independent lives for longer.

• Is sustainable, using environmentally friendly construction materials that are highly insulated to ensure energy efficiency and low external heat requirements throughout the year.

• Develops a key site within the village of Westleton which is within easy walking distance of all village amenities.

• Delivers both market and affordable housing for the local Yoxmere Benefice community. Not only is there an identified need for more housing in the former Suffolk Coastal District (+10,900 over the next 20 years), there is a clear desire for ‘right sizing’ in the local area but very little opportunity for older residents in unsuitable accommodation – houses that are too big for their needs, garden too large, bath and /or stairs a concern, located too far away from village amenities – to move into smaller, age appropriate, modern bungalows. 

• Delivers valuable economic use of the land, providing ‘right-sized’ homes that enable larger homes in the area to be released for families and younger workers.

• Respects and responds to the local setting and character of the surrounding conservation area, whilst increasing the choice of housing available.

• As the area has one of the oldest populations of any district in the country, we believe this model could be rolled out in other locations in the district. The impact of an ageing population on housing supply and increased demand for specialist housing was considered to be a key issue in the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan .

• Is a community initiative that is attempting to improve local residents self sufficiency through peer to peer support via a co-housing model.

• Enhances the vitality of the rural community .  

• Encourages residents to share facilities such as car pooling which will have a positive impact on the environment & reduce the importance of private motor vehicles.

The Vision of Glebe Meadow Westleton CIC has received widespread support throughout the community, including from the local MP, Suffolk County Council, District Councillor, Parish Councils throughout Yoxmere Benefice, as well as strong local support with 90% of respondents saying they thought the concept was a good idea for the area.