We are pleased to announce that planning permission has been secured for this former builders’ yard in South Oxfordshire. The scheme will provide ten new houses, four flats and an attractive Victorian office building will be returned to its original residential use.
The company which occupied the site ceased trading in December 2016. Securing planning consent has been complex, involving input from various specialists including ecologists, highway engineers and others. RPA Architects were lead consultants for the project, coordinating the work of others as well as providing planning and architectural services in order to maximise development potential.
The site was occupied by eight buildings, the majority of which were uninsulated barns which had been used for the storage of building materials. Conversion or re-use for employment purposes was not viable, hence the change of use which was seen to be beneficial by the local community.
Sustainability is a key issue when looking at the redevelopment of brownfield sites – in this instance transport links were good and there was a broad range of facilities nearby. The use of sustainably sourced materials, the installation of photovoltaic panels and the provision of electric car charging points were also seen to be of significant benefit.