Development
Appraisals

Drawing on select industry and market intelligence, Woldon offers a development appraisal service to assist our clients with their assessment of potential sites.

We combine commerciality and a fresh perspective to unlock new opportunities for our clients and local communities in a sustainable and meaningful way.

Advising a range of entrepreneurs, developers, estates and private clients, we are imaginative and innovative in our thinking, and responsive in our delivery of succinct and focused assessments.

Our development appraisal may include an assessment of site and market opportunities, an evaluation of the current planning landscape, high-level massing and area calculations, and development costs.

Case Study - Conversion of Farm Buildings to Form a Residential Cotswold Model Farm

Woldon Architects have been appointed to convert an existing model dairy and machine room to from one dwelling with ancillary accommodation. The proposal seeks to breathe new life into this handsome old Oxfordshire farmstead and model dairy. The existing buildings have been unoccupied for some years are now falling into a state of disrepair. The proposal seeks to restore the original fabric where possible and work with the existing structures to create a new family dwelling with ancillary service accommodation. The proposal includes some modern interventions that serve to link the existing internal spaces whilst preserving the original volumes and proportions.

With the existing primary vehicular access from the north a key consideration was how to keep vehicles out of the southern parts of the site. The proposal presented at pre application looked to establish the primary entrance from the north. The point of entrance articulated through the introduction a new gable with double barn doors representing a more agricultural style intervention in keeping with the farmstead aesthetic. The cottages and the privy are linked via single story flat roof housing a more modern kitchen and dining area.

Design Development Circulation & Layout

A new south facing circulation link has been proposed to provide the following:

Residential accommodation benefits from the preservation of the full volume of the northern spine
Reduced corridor circulation in new lightweight modern structure running along front of north spine linking the east west and central wings.
Broadening of East wing to match the west wing improves depth of bedroom accommodation and helps to balance the south elevation.

Landscape Strategy

In the wider landscape all arable fields will be converted to pasture and grazed. Extensive tree and woodland planting (all native species) are proposed for nature conservation purposes and to provide some shelter from prevailing winds. The modern barn will be removed and replaced with grass and wildflowers. This will open up views and reinstate the more open setting of the 19th century buildings. The existing drive will be retained but access to the house and cottage is proposed along the north side of the buildings to keep cars away from the south elevation and the garden area. Parking is retained to the west of the machine house, with a new barn for cars, tools & garden machinery. The existing shed housing a water pump will be removed, and the pump re-housed in the barn.

Environmental impact assessment

The site does not connect to a mains sewer and all waste will be treated on site in a new bio-disc (or similar) septic tank. New building and refurbished existing building elements will be designed to meet current building regulations requirements as a minimum. The proposal will look to use on site renewable energy. This will possibly be a mixture of photovoltaic panels and either ground or air source heat generation. The details of this are to be further developed in subsequent design stages.