Background

Allocated as a housing development site in the Vale of White Horse District Local Plan, Outline planning was granted for up to 190 new homes. The Noble Consultancy were engaged by Bewley Homes to provide architectural, landscaping and technical support for detailed residential proposals.

Faringdon is one of three historic Market Towns within VoWH and has been identified as a strategic location for meeting the Authority’s housing need. The development includes 190 new homes with a mixture of types and tenures to meet local demand; 35% of which are affordable housing.

Design Considerations

The detailed proposals were informed by a layered structuring, taking on board important design considerations such as topography and views, existing landscape features and opportunities for green links, accessibility and movement, as well as block principles and frontages.

Situated on a Hilltop location the site posed several constraints, such as a considerable range in site levels across the site and the need to minimise the visual impact of the development within the landscape setting. The site’s elevated position also presented many opportunities, particularly in terms of protecting view corridors through the site and beyond, to the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and to the Grade II Listed Faringdon Folly scheduled ancient monument.

Design Features

The proposals were largely dictated by topography and the need to protect outward views. Landscape considerations were paramount with a new elevated landscape mound at the heart of the development and a block structure to maximise outward views. In addition, a green corridor through the middle of the site that connects existing vegetation with new planting provides a further view corridor.

To minimise the landscape impact of the built form, bespoke 1.5 storey dwellings were designed to sit at the highest part of the site; these provide an appropriate response in scale and form.