Hawbush Road, Brierley Hill | New-Build Dwelling
Project Overview
Sector: Residential
Location: Dudley, West Midlands
Contract Value: £250,000
Key Architectural Features: New-build dwelling. Compact starter home with contemporary design. On-site energy generation. Exceptional land-use efficiency.
Statutory Consents: Outline Planning Application submitted to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.
Description:
The property owner of 49 Hawbush Road recognised the underutilisation of the extensive rear garden spaces along the street and felt the land could be used in a more efficient and progressive way.
Unity Architects were consequently appointed as the new-build architects responsible for establishing the vision for a new self-build/custom-build dwelling in the rear garden of 49 Hawbush Road.
An intense design exploration process needed to prove the site was accepting of a new dwelling without detriment to the original property. The Dudley Council Residential Design – 2023 SPD provides a detailed breakdown of core requirements for such developments. In parallel with the generation of typical design output, Unity Architects needed to meticulously satisfy Dudley Council’s local policy expectation, covering aspects such as external amenity, separation distances, fire tender access, sustainable transport, privacy, visual amenity, access and habitat.
Unity Architects delivered a comprehensive one-off dwelling that is cohesively inserted to the Hawbush Road context.
The bespoke, design-led, single-storey dwelling aims to provide a high-calibre living scenario, prioritising environmental and ecological performance, featuring:
High sustainability credentials, including a south-facing photovoltaic array on a flat roof for on-site energy generation, a high-performance thermal envelope, and rainwater harvesting capabilities.
Dedicated infrastructure to support modern, low-impact living, such as electric vehicle charging, secure bicycle parking, and permeable external paving surfaces.
Ecological enhancements seamlessly integrated into the scheme, including hedgehog highways and wall-mounted bird boxes designed for local breeding birds such as starlings, house sparrows, and swifts.
Generous private external amenity space of 115 square metres, which far exceeds the minimum local requirements.
The result is a beautifully crafted, compact dwelling that forms an ideal starter home for modern living. A delightfully unique self-build/custom-build that offers relief from the standard mass-market offer.
Do you have a surplus of garden land? Would you like to work with a RIBA Chartered architectural practice that can creatively unlock the development potential of an underutilised site? Unity Architects support clients throughout Warwickshire and The Midlands on such projects. Contact us to discuss our professional architectural services for your scheme.
