Refurbishment and extension – Hayling Walk, Little Paxton

Date January 2017

The property is an existing detached house in the village of Little Paxton in Cambridgeshire.  The house has undergone several changes over its history since it was built in the 1970s, and this has led to the interior being disparate and incoherent in terms of its arrangement.  The client wants to make the most of the property and keep any extensions to a minimum.

The key aspects of the new design required by the client are to:

  • make it light and bright at the ground floor
  • create a large open plan space with kitchen, dining and living spaces
  • create a formal entrance to the house that is distinctive and welcoming
  • create additional accommodation within the house for future expansion.

We have been appointed to undertake a series of feasibility studies and produce options to discuss and evolve towards a planning scheme.  The clients sourced ideas and imagery that represented their vision for the project, and we used these as a driver for the schemes we developed.

The designs try to retain as much of the existing building structure as possible so that the main changes are to the interior.  This then generates cohesive, flexible and interesting internal arrangements.  Any new additions to the house are then placed in carefully considered locations so as to gain space whilst also ensuring a comfortable arrangement between new and old.  Each scheme explores the revised location of the main staircase and double-height void spaces, which create the circulation and dramatic changes to the interior.

A few changes have been completed to the internal arrangement to ensure the best arrangement.  Also, we have reviewed the rear facade and roof design to ensure the house doesn’t overshadow the neighbour. The scheme achieved planning permission in January 2017 from Huntingdonshire District Council.