Kirby Place, Sandgate High Street, Sandgate (Current ongoing project) ⏐ New Build ⏐ Conservation Area
We completed a three-storey new build house on a constrained vacant site within the Sandgate High Street Conservation Area, which small lock-up shops had previously occupied. The applicants, who owned the property opposite, had acquired it years earlier to guide the site’s redevelopment, which had previously been approved for five one-bedroom apartments without parking. The redesigned scheme created a single two-bedroom house above a garage, with a bedroom and en-suite within the roof space, and parking beneath a raised deck providing outdoor amenity space. Although a separate dwelling, the house was initially retained for the applicants’ own use.
The building was expressed in red brick and irregular sandstone at the ground floor, with painted timber weatherboarding above and a slate roof incorporating discreet in-line photovoltaic tiles. A west-facing dormer with a Juliet balcony captured views along the High Street and toward the sea while maintaining privacy for neighbouring properties. The scheme incorporated energy-efficient measures, including enhanced insulation, water-saving fixtures, and PV tiles, and was refined following pre-application advice to optimise daylight, internal layouts, and dormer scale.
The completed dwelling demonstrates how sensitive contemporary new build can respect the historic streetscape, complement surrounding listed buildings, and integrate sustainability within a conservation area.
