We have just gained planning consent for this new garden room extension to a former parsonage on the Suffolk / Norfolk border.

Our Clients were looking to create an extension to their existing kitchen coupled with a new space for entertaining that could lead out onto the extensive gardens surrounding this Victorian home.  The solution adopted the traditional detailing of the main house to create a sympathetic exterior whilst including a large skylight and removal of internal connecting wall to form a modern, naturally lit interior.

#architects #architecture #design #planning #suffolk #norfolk #eastanglia 

We are delighted to have secured planning consent for a new family dwelling on the edge of a hamlet, surrounded by open countryside. Having successfully helped them design and realise their previous home, our Clients came back to us for a second time when they decided to take on a new challenge.

This site had been granted consent to convert an existing barn to form a dwelling, but our Client had much more ambitious ideas and wanted to create a brand new family home that maximised the potential of this great rural site. The barn complex was in an extremely poor state of repair with little architectural merit, much of it held up with old telegraph poles! We negotiated with the local planning authority on their behalf, persuading them to accept that the principle of development had been established by the Class Q approval.

Our scheme was based on the concept of two parallel barn-like volumes, linked by a glazed entrance, laid out on an east-west axis. Following Passivhaus principles, the living spaces were positioned in the southern element to maximise the potential for controlled solar gain, plenty of natural daylighting and open plan living. The northern barn is more cellular in layout containing bedrooms, bathrooms and guest accommodation. The entire building will adopt a 'fabric first' approach to reducing energy demand. The light and open living spaces flow out into the garden and landscape beyond with the staggered plan creating an arrival courtyard to the front of the home.

The rural nature of the site included an adjacent wooded area as well as a number of nearby ponds. As part of the planning process, and working closely with the ecologists, we were able to agree an ecology strategy that will allow construction to commence early in a responsible and ecologically safe way.

#architects #architecture #design #newhome #ruraldevelopment #planning #classQ #construction #passivhaus #lowenergy #sustainability #suffolk #eastanglia

The site near the railway station had seen many different uses through its history, but had become run down and ready for a new lease of life.

Its challenges, like many refurbishments of brownfield sites, included the condition of the buildings, compactness and contamination of site, along with accessibility at least partially due to the change in levels.

Our solution stripped the warehouses back to near their original form and, working closely with the structural engineers, stabilised the structures. We then sought to maximise the potential that the volumes offered, creating thirteen unique apartments through the two buildings incorporating maximised daylighting and energy efficiency. This included new circulation space and the refurbishment of the distinctive 'lucam', retaining this iconic feature.

In addition, following demolition of the mid to late twentieth century additions to the site, we created a new block of apartments. This element responded to the steeply sloping site and scale of adjoining buildings by rising in stages through the development. It forms a new defined street scene, hidden parking areas and a shared communal gardens at the heart of the development.

Working with Mixbrow Construction & Morrish Engineers for The Havebury Housing Partnership

Changes at Rees Pryer Architects

For the past fifteen years we have been operating as a limited liability partnership but as part of the ongoing development and evolution of Rees Pryer Architects, we have become Rees Pryer Limited from 1^st November 2019.  We will continue to trade as Rees Pryer Architects.

This change in corporate structure will make no difference to the way that we work with our Clients, Consultant and Contractor colleagues.  It is simply a way of bringing greater flexibility and opportunity for growth for the business and team members alongside our existing efforts to enhance and maintain a reputation for delivering quality architecture to our Clients.

Jane and Chris will be Directors of the company with Andrew’s expertise and commitment recognised by formally confirming his role as Associate.

As always, our aim will be to create buildings and spaces that are sustainable, inspirational, enjoyable and useable whatever their scale and purpose.  We will continue to strive to provide a level of service and trust that sets us apart, understanding our Clients’ needs, looking to exceed their expectations with quality design solutions, make the best of every opportunity and always seek to improve.

All existing appointments remain unchanged by this transition with all existing arrangements being transferred to Rees Pryer Limited.  If you have any questions at all about the changes then please be in touch with us.

Planning consent has been secured for the conversion of a redundant agricultural building to form high quality office space.

Planning consent for three affordable family homes was gained this week for a small infill site on the edge of Bury St Edmunds town centre.

#residential #development #affordablehousing #sustainableliving #suffolk 

Work will be starting shortly on site with the updating and extending of a family home in Suffolk.  The original 1960s house had previously been extended in a piecemeal fashion and so we worked closely with the Client to develop proposals that changed the house into a modern and spacious family home. 

Key to the brief was forming a home that is full of natural daylight, welcoming, warm and energy efficient.

A planning application has just been submitted for a new dwelling on this tight infill site.  Located in the heart of an existing residential area, the scheme proposes a single storey open-plan dwelling to replace a garage and workshop that already exist on the site.  Influenced by its setting, the dwelling would adopt passivhaus principles to create an energy efficient home clad in a combination of timber boarding and corrugated metal cladding.

#newhomes #architecture #passivhaus #housing #architects #recruiting

Existing housing stock remains a large contributor to our impact on the planet. Upgrading our existing homes and making them more thermally efficient has to be a key step in reducing our use of energy resources.

Whilst it may only be a small step, we have this week secured consent for thermal upgrades to 26 homes for @Havebury Housing Partnership in Bury St Edmunds, reducing demand for heating and improving comfort for the families involved #fuelpoverty #improvinghomes #EWI #affordability

Great to see progress being made in the sunshine - piles in, ground beams underway @Havebury Tayfen Road site #burystedmunds #suffolk #affordablehousing with @mixbrow @MorrishCEng @AECOM

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We are delighted that consent was gained at Breckland Council planning committee yesterday for the proposed new warehouse for Trox UK in Thetford.

An unusual scheme, the proposal is seeking to make use of the sloping site to provide parking for employees below the new warehouse enabling the maximum use of available site area.  In turn this provides the opportunity for further growth on site in the future for the main production areas of the factory.

Great insight into the practicalities of Passivhaus principles at the RIBA East CPD session in Cambridge.

Plenty of ideas to apply to everyday projects as well as Passivhaus certified.

It is great to see the development by Orwell Housing Association at Rye Terrace finished and handed over for occupation this month.

We have submitted 9 planning applications for developments.  This covers a range of projects from residential refurbishment to industrial uses and also includes specialist care accommodation.

Suffolk County Council are holding consultations on their proposals for road improvements in Bury St Edmunds from 10th July to 7th August.  Visit their website to see the proposals and have your say

The development on the first of four sites in Kelvedon has begun which will see a total of sixty four affordable new homes delivered for Greenfields Community Housing.

We are delighted to announce that Station Yard, Thetford has been awarded for Excellent  Conversion, Adaptation and Extension of a Sensitive Building within the historic environment by Breckland Council.

The project saw the former train engineering shed converted into apartments for Havebury Housing Partnership along with the construction of four new houses on Canterbury Way.

Planning consent has now been granted for a housing scheme in Bury St Edmunds on behalf of Havebury Housing Partnership.

The scheme, consisting of a total of thirty-six one and two bedroom apartments, is located on Station Hill / Tayfen Road and includes both new build and the conversion of former grain stores on the site.  The scheme aims to create a sustainable development which respects its context and provides a pleasant, attractive place to live.

The site lies at a key ‘gateway’ to the town centre and provides an excellent opportunity to enhance the built environment within an area that currently has low visual appeal.  The proposed development provides a mix of three and four storey development, a split plan stepped to suit the site contours and a section design that lowers eaves heights towards the site boundaries all of which contribute to setting the scheme into its location. The scale of the new buildings specifically look to reflect the scale of the industrial heritage of the site and retained buildings.

It has been a very busy week!

Official opening of the new accommodation at Jubilee House for the Seckford Foundation by Clare Countess of Euston

Completion of new manufacturing building at Omar Homes in Brandon

There has been a really busy and exciting start to this new year with a number of projects starting on site and several new commissions.

Improvement works to entrances and communal areas at three sheltered housing schemes are all now on site along with extension and alterations to a fourth.

We will be switching to new smart energy metering during the period of 1pm to 3pm on Tuesday 30th June.

During that time we will have some disruption to our telephone and IT systems but hopefully we will be back up and running very quickly, even more efficiently than before!

A public consultation has taken place at Southend High School for Boys to show proposals for a planned expansion.

The proposed new building will provide two storeys of accommodation at the heart of the School including Sixth Form study and research areas, library, new classrooms and pastoral care facilities.  The Practice is working with PCH Associates in developing the scheme with a view to making a planning application later this month.

The Practice is delighted that the housing scheme at Aldrich Place, Mill Street, Mildenhall has won an RIBA Suffolk Craftsmanship Award at the annual ceremony held at Trinity Park last night.

The project for Havebury Housing Partnership provides twelve affordable homes through the conversion of a listed building and construction of new houses and apartments on this tight, town centre site.  The contractor was SEH French of Ipswich.

Dating in part from the 16th century, these semi-derelict, historic buildings have now been sympathetically restored using appropriate, traditional methods of construction including replacement oak timber frames, sheeps wool insulation, traditional lath and lime plaster finishes, flint work, clunch wall repairs and extensive re-roofing including new timbers and dormers to the street elevation.  The majority of the buildings were re-roofed using a mix of reclaimed and new clay tiles.  Previous generations of painting over the brickwork were cleaned off to expose the original ‘white’ bricks made at a local brickworks.

The original materials influenced the palette for the new and this all combines well with the contemporary form of the new build elements.  These also utilise a number of traditional construction methods, creating a variety of modern, adaptable living spaces.

The scheme creates a new connection between the high street and the church yard of St Marys Parish Church providing a safe public access through a mews court.  This improved access has had a positive effect on the high street, improving its accessibility to local residents

The commitment from Havebury, the consultant and contractor teams to the scheme shows how historic buildings can make high quality, unique affordable homes.

Work for Havebury Housing Partnership's scheme at Station Yard Thetford is now well underway.

The project sees an existing train shed being converted to create six new apartments as well as the building of four new houses onto Canterbury Way.  

The site poses several challenges such as how to create high quality, affordable modern homes out of a disused industrial building, the proximity of the railway station, a steeply sloping site and very constrained boundaries.  The design was developed through close working with Morrish Consulting Engineers.  Needham Contracts are the main contractor.

MILL STREET, MILDENHALL PROJECT SHORTLISTED FOR THE UK HOUSING AWARDS 2015

Rees Pryer Architects has been shortlisted for the UK Housing Awards 2015 along with fellow project team members Havebury Housing Partnership, Orwell Housing Association, Tillyards, Andrew Firebrace Partnership and contractor SEH French.

The awards, which recognise outstanding work by housing organisations to improve the lives of people in their communities, are organised by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Inside Housing magazine.

Now in their 19^th year, this year’s awards attracted more than 250 entries from all over the UK.

Suffolk architects Rees Pryer is now one of eight left in the running for the Outstanding development of the year - up to 24 homes.

The winners will be revealed at a ceremony at the Lancaster London Hotel on 21 April. The awards are sponsored by Campbell Tickell, Capsticks, CHAS, Higgins, The Housing Contact, ISOS, Locality Solutions, Morgan Sindall, NHBC and Viridian Housing.

CIH interim chief executive Gavin Smart said: “The UK Housing Awards recognise the great work being done by housing professionals and organisations across the industry, but they also push us all to do better as a sector.  We hope the achievements of our finalists will inspire others as they aim to provide the best possible services for residents and communities.

“Congratulations to all of the organisations that have been shortlisted, and best of luck for the ceremony – win or lose your work will help inspire us all to improve.”    

Emma Maier, editor of Inside Housing, said: “The quality of the entries rose again this year so even to get this far is an amazing achievement. In the face of some really stiff competition, the Mill Street project has shown it is performing at the highest level - well done!”

Mill Street housing scheme in Mildenhall for Havebury Housing Partnership has been shortlisted for Outstanding Development of up to 24 dwellings in the UK Housing Awards 2015

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/events/awards/uk-housing-awards

The second small site of affordable housing completed with Orwell Housing Association is now occupied with the third due for completion in March.

The sites, a series of former garage sites across the city, are providing a range of apartments and houses on behalf of Norwich City Council.

The latest to complete is this scheme of two and three bedroom houses in Bland Road achieving Code for Sustainable Homes level 4.

It is with great sadness that we have to announce that Ian Pryer passed away on Monday 15th December.

Ian was a founding partner in the practice, as well as valued colleague and father to Jane and will be greatly missed by us all.