Designing a home for an awkward plot

It is a challenge within itself finding a plot suitable for your new build home. Many plots are dismissed due to complexities such as size, shape, proximity to neighbouring buildings and access.

An awkward site is often less appealing to developers and may have been lying vacant in spite of the fact that it is actually a site which would gain planning for a new home if someone were to put forward a proposal.

Easy to develop sites are becoming rarer and so the purchase of a tricky plot with a view to building a home is something which should not be dismissed. It might even be that the plot in question is more affordable and rather than a site that may have been perceived as a problematic, it actually becomes a site presenting an exciting design challenge – the result being a unique and inspirational design.

We call this house, by MHA Architects, the Narrow House - for obvious reasons! It is a long thin house which ticks all of the boxes for our client. It has an integrated garage, open plan living space and 3 bedrooms - enabled by vaulted ceiling at first floor level and truss-less roof design. It has a contemporary aesthetic whilst using traditional slate and red brick which picks up on the material appearance other nearby dwellings.