Residential Development, Mansfield Road, Worksop

About This Project

Residential Development, Mansfield Road, Worksop

William Davis, a significant midlands regional housebuilder, appointed a consultant team in 2016 to develop a masterplan to secure Outline Planning Approval on a 16.4 ha site for up to 275 dwellings.

The proposals were considered to materially affect the setting of two nearby listed buildings, Manor Lodge, a five storey Grade 1 listed house, and the adjacent Lodge Farm, Grade 2 listed. The collection of buildings, accessed by a hedged country lane (Lodge Farm Lane), enjoyed a largely rural setting adjacent to the proposed development. After lengthy pre application consultations on the design layout, a Planning Application for the Development was submitted in December 2017.

In January 2018 objections to the proposals were received from Heritage England. In the opinion of the H.E Inspector, the “amount of housing proposed was [still] considered too high” within the sensitive ‘Rural Edge’ and ‘Lane Edge’ character areas of the proposed development. “They remained concerned that the level of information provided was insufficient to show how a bespoke design approach along the ‘Rural Edge’ and ‘Lane Edge’ character areas will achieve a high quality and locally distinctive development”. They concluded that “we do not believe that the scheme has been amended enough in quantum and design, to mitigate the harmful impact of the proposals on the significance of the designated heritage assets affected”. Similar concerns were also raised by Local Authority Conservation Officer.

William Davis approached and appointed Launchpadd to join the consultant team to offer a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ on the proposals, with a brief to overcome the objections from Heritage England.

Launchpadd undertook an analysis of the wider rural built character surrounding the site to inform the preparation of a comprehensive architectural response, to fully and robustly address the concerns raised by the H.E Inspector and the Local Authority Conservation Officer. The analysis identified a ‘toolkit’ of vernacular architecture, detail and materials drawing upon distinctive and predominant influences from buildings and agricultural clusters found within nearby local settlements and villages. The proposals aimed to deliver a series of architectural statements along the edge of Lodge Farm Lane on the approach to setting of the listed Manor Lodge and Lodge Farm.

Launchpadd and the team presented the revised architectural response to senior officers at the local authority in May 2018 including extensive use of 3D sketch modelling to prove the principals in context. The analysis and proposed response was welcomed and supported by the council and formed the basis for the revised planning application upon which Heritage England withdrew their previous objections. Services provided by Launchpadd included:

• Feasibility & Masterplanning
• Concept Design
• Presentation to Statutory Bodies
• Input into revised Design & Access Statement including visualisations