Raby Castle Estates

Raby Castle Estates, in County Durham, has an extensive conservation management plan developed to ensure the future of several extraordinary heritage buildings both at the castle itself and in neighbouring villages.

As a part of this process, we were asked by the Estate to develop a masterplan for extensions to two villages, in Gainford and Staindrop. We worked to understand historic development patterns and architectural forms, before working closely with the estate, local communities and the local authority to bring forward two landscape-led proposals for these significant sites.

Weymouth Harbour

We have worked on two major projects on the south side of Weymouth Harbour that in combination would constitute the most significant urban development in the town for decades.

The first, nearing completion, is for a new McCarthy & Stone residential care home on a highly sensitive site formerly occupied by a 1930s Fire Station. The company had taken forward a design for a new block of flats where planning had raised significant issues, resulting in the loss of an appeal. We were brought in in these difficult circumstances to provide a comprehensive re-design to the site. Planning was obtained smoothly and work completed in 2018.

Immediately adjacent is the council’s 1970s office building that has fallen redundant and is being vacated. This building and car park was constructed on a cleared site of the ancient Weymouth High Street. As a result of our work next door, we were asked by West Dorset District Council to prepare a complete masterplan and outline planning application for a new scheme for the council offices.

This project achieved planning approval. It is not certain whether our scheme will be taken forward.

Craighouse

For a highly sensitive site on the south side of Edinburgh, in the grounds of the old Craighouse hospital, we were asked to design a proposal for a group of terraced townhouses on the edge of a new park as part of wider development proposals.

Our scheme envisaged a terrace of twelve paired villas, faced on the park side in a traditional Edinburgh classical façade of sandstone with sash windows, and on the garden front in a more contemporary architectural treatment. We took great care to design facades based on authentic local detailing. The rear facades and mews were much more free in treatment, providing for an interesting contrast to the front elevations and allowing for very open-plan living within the large townhouses.

The scheme was welcomed by the clients but was not brought forward into planning.