A new cluster of contemporary cottages that continues an emerging pattern of backland development along Station Road in Lower Stondon. The development was granted planning permission in 2025.
High-quality cottages
Inspired by the higher quality and heritage buildings in the area, a contemporary take on the traditional farmhouse cottage is proposed, with a mix of 3- and 4-bed homes.
These follow the local character of shallow building forms with plain clay tiled pitched roofs combined with pale rendered facades.
Layouts, elevations and building form have been designed to balance active frontage and views out with privacy and optimal solar orientation.
Triple-glazed timber-framed windows will be recessed to increase depth across the facade and provide shading, with a timber framed construction proposed, to minimise embodied carbon.
The buildings will be finished with a pale, natural, hemp- or cork-based render.
Low-Energy Homes
The proposed site strategy and individual homes have been carefully developed in accordance with passive design principles and the energy hierarchy to minimise operational energy:
Fabric First
Elevations and layouts have been designed in response to orientation; primary living areas concentrated on south facing facades with larger glazing ratios (30%) to benefit from abundant daylight and winter solar gain. Over-sailing eaves and dormer frames provide shading to avoid summer overheating.
Non-habitable rooms are concentrated centrally in plan, or on northern facades with a lower glazing ratio (10-15%) to minimise heat losses through the building fabric.
All homes will be very highly insulated and extremely air-tight, in line with LETI best practice for detached dwellings.
Low Carbon Energy
All homes are fossil fuel free. Air Source Heat Pumps will provide low carbon energy for heating. Background ventilation will be provided by efficient mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, combined with opening windows for natural purge ventilation.
Waster Water Heat Recovery systems are proposed to optimise efficient use of energy. Water use is to be limited to <75l per person per day, with rainwater harvesting systems introduced where practicable. Good levels of natural daylight are provided through out to minimise the
lighting demand. Daylight modelling has informed the window design.
Renewable Energy
On-site renewable energy generation is proposed in the form of photovoltaic panels (PVs) on the south-facing roofs.
A Healthy Landscape
The landscape has been designed to incorporate sustainable drainage, with resilient native planting proposed to enhance the setting, both visually and ecologically.
