Project Overview

Chamberlain are a small company where the MD not only runs the business, but he also makes the tea and sweeps up! The brief was to convert three listed barns and create nine new build units in a highly historic site which was subject to local objections. The conservation officer took great interest in the development and we had to have an archaeologist on hand when any new trenches were dug. The target market was retired and young couples. All units were sold to this identified audience, with the exception of the largest barn which went to a family.

Location

Situated in a small village just outside the pretty market town of Nantwich in Cheshire, the site was of great historic importance as it was on the ancient site of the Battle of Nantwich (January 1644), and adjacent to a Grade 1 listed church. The site was-just about-a comfortable walk into town and on a bus route, thus making it sustainable.

Layout Plans

Custom Retail Display Units exemplify modern retail innovation with tailored structures, strategic layouts, and attention-grabbing visuals that create a seamless brand-to-customer connection.

Site Plan

Layout - Plans

Siteplan

Demolition

Carefully does it - 200 years of animal mess to deal with!

Early External

Rough and ready external ready to work on.

Reconstruction

View of existing church - like internal archways and openings.

Completed Externals

We as a small family run business were more than pleased on how the project turned out. The owners of the properties have really come together to improve the shared spaces, which we are delighted about as our dream of a togetherness between the families of the properties came to fruition. It’s a real community.

Specifications

General

• All homes have fibre broadband to the property

• Home study/work areas to all barns

• Large gardens

• Combination of traditional architecture and modern specification

Structure

Handmade Cheshire brickwork to Edwardian barns, Original exposed pitch pine roof trusses and purlins, A combination of Welsh slate and traditionally tiled roofs, Maintenance free cast-iron effect gutters and downspouts, Velux roof windows with conservation detailing, High security pre-finished front and rear doors with locks, High insulation qualities covering walls, roofs and under floor, Unique individual brick and timber features dependent on the barn.



External Features

Oak framed carriage houses with lockable storerooms, Electric vehicle charger, Large lawned gardens, Real stone patio and pathways, Stone detailing where required, Post and rail treated timber fencing, Native British hedging mix to boundaries, newly planted and established specimen trees such as Silver Birch, Outside tap, Outside lighting and socket and Extensive views



Services

Fibre broadband to house, Mains water, electric and BT, Mains gas with individual property meters, Mains sewerage, Freehold barns and garages, Architects Warranty and Checkmate Newbuild Warranty

Plumbing, heating and electrical

Under-floor downstairs gas central heating, Traditional radiators to upper floors, fully programmable central heating system, Worcester Bosch gas boilers with 5 year warranty, Pressurised hot water system, Mains smoke detectors, Burglar alarm systems, TV point and Individual room thermostats.



The Kitchens in the property in were individually designed with a finish of granite worktops and soft closing cupboards and draws. Multiple ovens, Induction hob, warming draws, combination microwaves, fridge, freezer, dishwasher and undermounted kitchen sinks.



Internal finishes of; White walls, skirting’s, plinth blocks and architraves, Hand matched oak veneered fire doors with 10-year warranty, Polished chrome ironmongery and fittings, Oak hardwood and timber feature staircases with safety glazed balustrade and Carpets throughout with stain and wear warranty.



Luxury modern bathrooms with Hans Grohe chrome taps, showers and mixers, Contemporary porcelain/ceramic wall and floor tiles, White contemporary sanitary-ware, Heated chrome towel radiators to most bathrooms, Bathroom cabinets with charging sockets and lighting and Under sink cupboards to cloakrooms & bathrooms.

Safety & Conversation

Safety & Sustainability

The three renovated barns allow 200-year-old buildings to live for another two hundred years, but instead of housing animals they now house families in up to the minute highly insulated conversions. Traditional lime mortar was used extensively both internally and externally to allow the buildings to breathe.



Conservation

The unique battlefield siting of the settlement meant historic conservation was extremely high up on the planners’ requirements. To this end an archaeologist was on hand at every trench dug and the new buildings were designed to fit in with the parochial architecture of this area of Cheshire. A major part of the new builds was a twin unit dwelling designed to look like a single Georgian farmhouse to sit amongst the building grouping.

Rooflights were all conservation and the main windows were high performance timber coupled with argon double glazing. Heritage colours were used on all windows along with reclaimed bricks and brick detailing to ensure the vernacular architecture was adhered to. Cast-iron effect guttering gave a user-friendly touch, reducing future maintenance whilst enhancing the detail.

Marketing

The estate agents for the properties created a lovely display of information and visuals to show the potential suiters the properties prior to visiting the plots

Summary

The image below shows the site, as completed, from the road. The grouping of the buildings and setting were highly important to the success of the project and its acceptance by the local community and conservation officer.

Of particular note is the three-storey farmhouse building to the right of the image which is the lead building of the site. This is actually two homes in the one shell. All the remaining buildings in effect sit around it to form a farmyard grouping, with the wooden oak fronted garages reducing the impact of the new builds. The three listed barns lie to the left of the picture, sitting alongside the new build courtyard. The listed church still towers above the old barns and the battlefield still lies adjacent to the site, totally unscathed by the works undertaken.

The development was successful in achieving a LABC award for building excellence
* So successful was the development and marketing that the architect upped sticks and moved there!