The brief: Our client approached us with the ambition of creating a unique holiday let nestled within a steep garden overlooking the River Wye in the stunning setting of Symonds Yat. The vision was to introduce a new detached building that would harmonise with the dramatic topography of the site.

Initial pre-planning consultations began in Autumn 2021 and were met with a positive response, leading to our appointment for full design works in Winter 2021. In early 2022, we began collaborative work with Powell’s of Monmouth (Planning Consultants), John Topp of O’Brien & Price (Structural Engineering), and S10 Geo-Consulting for ground investigation works. The steep terrain and ground conditions ruled out traditional foundations, and it was concluded that a ground screw system, provided by GBGS, would offer a viable solution.

The design responded directly to the site’s constraints and opportunities. Working with the land, the building's form was split and kinked to align with the contours, allowing a striking central glazed feature to anchor the contemporary architecture. It became clear from early modelling that a single-storey design would be the most appropriate approach to respect the setting and achieve visual balance.

The final design was submitted to Herefordshire Council in November 2022. Despite a prolonged planning process due to staffing changes and statutory delays, we are proud to have successfully achieved planning consent for this ambitious and site-sensitive project.