South Woodford is set to have its first British-made, energy-efficient, 3D-engineered home built for a local family. Looking back on the last year, events have moved quickly in South Woodford, Essex, for Jim and Mary as the vision of their new home starts to become a reality.
We have been able to secure planning permission by working alongside our highly experienced planning consultants who know every twist and turn to make sure the local authority are happy with our architect James’s plans.
Now the non-descript bungalow, sitting uneasily alongside the period two story dwellings and residential blocks in the tree-lined road, is about to be demolished. It’s at this point that the long held dream of a truly original house will begin to materialise.
Jim and Mary already know the Woodford area well having lived there for some time. Their brand new Facit Home will be their last move so they were very happy with the location close to local shops and tube station. They enjoy cycling although they aspire to having an electric car in the future when the manufacturers’ designs and prices improve, so they would like to future proof the new house to incorporate a recharging plug. They have also thought ahead to a time when perhaps they won’t be as able as they are now; for example, the staircase will be designed to take a stair lift in the future if needed.
Sometimes we have to adjust our architect’s plans due to the suitability of the site. Jim and Mary had considered a ground source heat pump as one of a range of sustainable features to keep energy consumption to a minimum, however, the plot size made this impossible. The property’s sustainable profile will include photovoltaic roof panels, a Mechanical Heat Recovery System and rainwater harvesting.
Mary is already thinking about the interiors of their new home where they will keep wall colours muted instead relying on an eclectic mix of original furniture to celebrate the interior. Mary’s love of Ercol furniture means that she’s already been eagerly shopping on eBay and storing her vintage discoveries ready for moving in day.
Downsizing from a seven to a four bedroom property was never going to be easy so the new home will feature a range of cupboards and storage areas as well as a few surprises: sliding walls will allow flexibility within for example a guest bedroom could become a snooker room and there’s even a “priest hole” for Jim but we couldn’t possibly reveal where that will be!
