A substantial new detached home set in lush south Leicestershire countryside has a design offering a modernist Mediterranean villa twist on local vernacular.

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Previous pre-application advice made it obvious that the site would be under scrutiny as it impacted the street scene. Numerous sketches were provided to support the design's intention to minimise second floor footprint and use materials that would reference local precedent and detract from the mass.

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Two planning approvals (outline and reserved matters) were achieved by MWArchitectural with the planning officer reserving high praise for the scheme, noting its sustainable ambitions being 'the first of its nature that are to be completed within the district' and requesting to visit after completion. MWArchitectural was retained to complete the technical design and construction phases of the project with a targetted completion date of late 2025.

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The scheme has sustainability at its core, with a low embodied-carbon timber frame structure with minimal concrete or steel. Naturally-derived cellulose insulation was opted for rather than oil-derived alternatives such as PIR or XPS and a recycled foamed glass was used for the substructure buildup - pushing the boundaries of a material uncommon to the UK. The home incorporates a high air tightness strategy with MVHR, an air source heat pump and a photovoltaic solar array for energy production.