Friars Cote is located in Northiam, East Sussex  with the High Weald AONB and was formally part of a farm settlement with the remains of a derelict piggery.

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The planning application aims to deliver a new dwelling to fall under the requirements of planning Paragraph 79 (formally Paragraph 55). The design has been developed to reflect the previous agricultural heritage surrounding the site both in form and materiality. The existing derelict remains consists of clusters of single storey buildings, all previously used as part of the piggery and for storage/workshops. The proposed design takes influence from this by creating a dwelling which resembles a cluster of smaller individual buildings, all single storey and linked with glazed and planted link spaces.

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The proposals have been designed to create a highly sustainable house, with MVHR systems, PV panels and a ground source heat loop, resulting in extremely low running costs and carbon footprint.

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A material pallet of black corrugated metal cladding, dark grey bricks and black stained timber has been carefully considered. The combination of materials adds interest and breaks up the mass of the volumes further. The materials are all references to traditional farming and agricultural materials, however they will be used in a highly contemporary way and combined with large glazed openings. The darker aesthetic has also been chosen as it visually reduces the overall impact on the site when viewed from a distance.