Tealby Tank House project was granted planning permission under Paragraph 80 of the NPPF demonstrating an exemplary level of design in alignment with planning policy.
Situated in Tealby, on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Due to the location of the site and the requirements for exceptional design quality, our clients employed Hayward McMullan Architects because of our speciality in paragraph 80 design. Like many projects of this type, the site presented a tricky context, but our experience in handling complex project briefs put us in the ideal position to take this on.
The site contained a disused Severn Trent water tank which had been decommissioned. The site was tight only measuring 20 x 20M and with a slope across the site of varying by 2M from East to West it was clear from the outset that designing a dwelling on this site was going to be a tough challenge.
We engaged with Design Midlands to undertake a rigorous design review panel process to demonstrate compliance with Paragraph 80, alongside continuous dialogue with the planning team at West Lindsey Planning Department. After a successful design review and a lengthy determination process, planning was granted. The approved design took inspiration from the former use of the site and the surrounding ridge and furrow farmland. The cladding to the building was designed to replicate the surrounding countryside and reflect the previous history, routing the building in its context. In essence, the architectural concept derived from a re-interpretation of the ridge and furrow and exposure of the existing tank meant the dwelling retained the symbolic presence of the site’s former industrial use.
Due to the tight nature of the site and trying to retain the form of the existing tank meant the design approach was to create multiple floors expressing the form in a tower like structure. The bedrooms were created on the lower floors with direct access to the garden areas whilst the living accommodation was created on the upper floors in order to make the most of the views across the rolling countryside and area of outstanding beauty.
As the design was predominantly vertical in nature it was important to create connections through the floors. Balconies and light wells punch through the floors enabled us to bring light into the lower floors as well as creating visual connections between the various living areas which also created a sense of intrigue to the project.
To breathe new life into this neglected site, a net gain in biodiversity is achieved with sustainable land management, creation of a wildlife planting and planting of additional indigenous shrubs and hedges to support pollinators and birds. All this creates an idyllic setting for family life.
Our client was keen to make their own contribution towards promoting sustainable design and construction, an ambition which we fully supported. Therefore, the insulation values throughout the property were designed to be 15% higher than the building regulations requirement for a new dwelling, and all materials were to be sourced locally where possible. Alternative forms of heat and hot water generation were introduced, utilising a ground source heating system deployed along the length of the site. A mechanical vent and heat recovery system ensures a comfortable environment in the dwelling all year round, while ample light is captured in every space via full height, high performance glazing.
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