The site is located on the edge of the settlement boundary and the village conservation area and our early challenges were to ensure that a proposal properly addressed these issues. The existing farm buildings were extensive and had become unsightly and therefore it was accepted that by their sensitive and appropriate replacement the visual impact and longer-range views towards the village would be improved. A small brick-built cow shed fronts the corner of the site, it is not listed but mentioned in the conservation area appraisal as being a building of historic interest.

The proposed layout uses the retained cow shed as an anchor on the corner of the site, from which a courtyard is reinstated. A series of new rural styled houses terraced together form the courtyard – influenced by the architecture and arrangement of a large threshing barn structure.

The detailed scheme of eight new homes, each sized to comply with Winchester City Council’s strict housing policy guidelines includes a mix of small and affordable dwellings amongst larger the properties. The courtyard scheme develops new buildings influenced by the traditional agricultural surroundings but detailed in a simple and contemporary manner - using a combination of red brick, knapped flint and slate pitched roofs.

Church Farm was designed by Ian Blake whilst at Sutton Griffin Architects