Our team of architects and sustainability experts have worked together to submit plans for 200 homes in Battle, East Sussex. Our vision for Blackfriars is to develop a highly sustainable contemporary housing development, which is future proofed for the transition to Zero Carbon while also respecting the local heritage.

We have been instructed by Rother District Council to provide architectural and sustainability services up to and including a Reserved Matters Application (RMA) for a 200-house development, following outline planning permission granted in 2019. To reflect Rother District Council’s current work in developing a carbon neutral vision for 2030, the desire to tackle the climate crisis needs to drive the vision and design for any new developments in the area.

The plans submitted for approval have our seven core design principles at their heart, ensuring that climate resilience, wellbeing, biophilic and low carbon design meet with cost effective and value-adding approaches. The defining qualities of the development have been designed to be a rich, green landscaped setting with distinctive pedestrian routes and a mix of maisonettes and houses alongside shared amenities and garden space.

The plans submitted were granted planning unanimously in April 2021, with councillors noting the ‘gold standard’ development’s environmental considerations.

All of the homes are designed to significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, EV charging points have been included in designs, and excellent connectivity to existing local amenities and transport links has been incorporated to decrease dependency on motor vehicles, aligning with the sustainability aims of the local authority.