Lovedon Fields

The site lies within a Local Gap and on the edge of the South Downs National Park. The development area is approximately 6.7ha of which about 2.1ha was brought forward following selection after a Strategic Housing Land Availablity Assessment in 2014 for housing.

Looking at the wider site, new allotments, a bike trail and an orchard were included, while the southern part of the site is transformed into an extension to the local park, with allotments, natural play areas, ecological grassland and footpaths – encouraging a positive relationship with the natural environment. .

From the single point of access off Lovedon Lane the houses cluster around a triangular open space, while an avenue with houses on both sides runs along the contours terminating with a parking area and community facilities. These two elements lend character and legibility to the scheme. We looked at local villages to distill the qualities that are common to the condition of being on the edge of an historic village and this led to the language of roofs, trees and chimney stacks and a lack of formality, fused with a consistent materiality. The outer edge is seen as a brick layer, while the inner buildings are clad in timber to recede, avoiding the impression of a wall of development.

“An exemplar of how planning for housing on the edge of an existing settlement should be delivered”

2017 Landscape Institute Awards