Ashton Gardens
Two new houses in Chadwell Heath, East London. 2022
This project navigated complex planning restrictions to provide our client with two well-sized detached dwellings on a constrained site. We were approached by a small developer who had bought this backland site in Barking & Dagenham with outline planning approval for two semi-detached dwellings, replacing a number of single storey garages. Initially their concern was that it was unbuildable as it contravened a covenant allowing a neighbour to access their own garage at the end of their garden. Through strategic design iterations and careful analysis, we were able to gain planning permission to increase the development to two detached dwellings whilst ensuring the dwellings had optimal garden size and limited overlooking.
Access to the site is along a narrow driveway between two houses. Our proposal presents two gables on approach, reminiscent of the 1930s gabled houses on the street. The first house is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom dwelling with a symmetrical entrance façade with two arched openings and a window centred between them. One arch is a fanlight over a precast concrete doorcase and the other the living room window. The centred window is uncannily low, as it serves the staircase.
The second house is a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom dwelling with a precast concrete open porch to mark the entrance on approach down the driveway. A patio to the rear allows first floor windows away from the boundary of neighbouring gardens, and this house too, has a low, centred window on the entrance façade, serving the staircase landing.
With FFLO landscape architects.
