Class AA conversion of a single storey bungalow to a four-storey house – a first for the Wyre Forest
New permitted development rights, which came into force only in August 2020, have opened up fresh horizons for extensions to homes, giving the ability to create additional storeys without the need for full planning permission. Andrea was keen to take advantage of the new ‘Class AA’ provisions and design a fabulous, five-bedroomed home for a Worcestershire family. Her plans more than quadruple the size of the original bungalow without overwhelming the plot and, at all times, being sympathetic to the surrounding landscape.
The Brief
A family purchased Manor House Farm, a sprawling 1970s bungalow in the countryside, near Hagley, with a view to knocking it down and building their dream home. The family wanted a five bedroomed house and open plan family living – but otherwise the clients gave Andrea free range in the design. True to her ethos of creating elegant, beautiful and timeless homes that deliver the wow factor – as well as working on a practical level – she set about weaving her magic.
The Creative Solution
Andrea worked closely with an initially sceptical local authority, which limits extensions to homes in the Green Belt to 75 per cent of the original building. Making use of Permitted Development and the new ‘Class AA’ provisions she managed to gain approval for a much larger home. Clever design techniques have been used to reduce the building’s impact on the Green Belt.
The new building – increasing the volume of the original bungalow’s living quarters from just under 1,000 cubic metres to 4,323 cubic metres – will hide a substantial amount of its additional space in the basement, where there will be a glass-walled wine cellar, a sauna, shower room and generous home gym. The open plan family room will boast a 6.5m high vaulted ceiling and a covered outdoor lounge with open fire and brick chimney – perfect for chillier summer evenings. Four of the bedrooms – all en-suite – will be on the first floor and the attic will house a generous fifth bedroom suite complete with balcony.
The Result
Andrea said: “I am excited that this is the first ‘Class AA’ conversion that has been granted in the Wyre Forest District. The planning stage was quite difficult as it was a learning curve for the local authority in dealing with the new guidelines.”
“I always aim to avoid the humdrum developer housing style, working with the clients to create something elegant and beautiful. I believe that, here, I have set an individual tone, the sense of arriving at somewhere special.” – Andrea Millner.
