Brentwood, Brancaster Staithe

Brancaster Staithe is a picturesque village set within the unique landscape of the north Norfolk coastline. On the south side of Main Street, where this development lies, modern developments are more prominent including a number of large, high value properties.

A traditional design approach was adopted to reflect and reinforce the established character of Brancaster Staithe. The vernacular architecture is defined by modest cottages, small barns and outbuildings constructed from local materials such as flint, red brick, painted render, pantiles and traditional joinery to create a simple yet distinctive identity. Later Victorian properties include decorative detail but retain the local palette to reinforce the cohesiveness across the village. The appearance of the new development draws heavily from the character of cottages nearby and echos the organic development of the village. The aim was to create groups of modest cottages that fit comfortably with existing neighbours to reinforce the distinctiveness of the location. As such the appearance of individual dwellings is varied and contains a mix of the local materials previously mentioned.

To enhance local biodiversity and reintroduce greenery to the street following a fire that destroyed the previous greenery, space has been incorporated between selected plots to accommodate new hedge and tree planting. The dwellings are orientated to take advantage of the southerly aspect to enable the use of photovoltaic panels. Each home includes an electric vehicle charging point. A fabric-first approach has been adopted with high levels of insulation and the installation of thermally efficient windows and doors to reduce energy demand. Heating and hot water is provided through air-source heat pumps. Sustainable drainage measures have also been integrated.