Midge Hall Drive – Rochdale, Manchester

PJH Architectural services were appointed by our client to provide concept, planning and building regulation and tender drawing packages for their renovation and extensive extension project in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Having previously worked with Cheltenham Green Civils on a number of commercial & educational development projects, most recently – (add link to Ellesmere school), the director of the company knew he was in safe hands by approaching PJH Architectural Services to develop his own family home development project.

The brief

Having recently purchased the property, it was clear the dwelling was in need of some serious TLC and internal renovations. Along with this, the property has had a number of previous alterations and extensions over the years, most notably a double story rear extension, with a dated flat roof that was out of keeping with the existing theme of high-pitched roofs, in addition the poor construction of the previous additions had led to the extension subsiding on one side. The original small windows and obtrusive internal layout limited the penetration of natural light into the dwelling and didn’t do justice to the scale of the 4-bedroom house with an existing floor area of 100m².

The property sits within a generous & sheltered corner plot, the possibilities to maximise the property were plentiful and we were somewhat eager and excited to unlock the potential the property provided. Positioned within and surrounded by ancient woodland, one of the main drivers for the scheme was to bring the exquisite views and bountiful light into the property; additionally, a more open-plan feel was a key element of our clients brief in addition to bringing back a sense of grandeur, befitting to a property of this nature.

The design

Starting at the ground floor, we looked to extend out to the rear by 4 meters and in line with the existing rear extension, whilst also demolishing the previous poor-quality additions. Opening up the existing rear elevation allowed us to flexibility to utilise the rear of the property, together with the new rear extension which created a large open plan kitchen, dining, snug & bar area. We specified 3 large sliding door openings on the rear elevation, equally spaced out from one another to correlate with the new interior layout. This enabled us to visually zone each individual area within the open plan space as well as providing plentiful natural daylight and created aspects out into the rear garden and surrounding forestry.

Through carful and considerate design, we managed to increase the existing floor area of 132m² to 188m².

The existing lounge at the front of the property was oversized, and as such was deemed too large for our clients’ requirements, we therefore decided to portion some of this space as part of the new rear facing open plan kitchen, creating a bar/entertaining area, this also ensured that the existing lounge was reduced to a more practical and comfortably sized lounge/reception room. The existing utility was repositioned and the space available enabled a new shower room to be incorporated, thanks to the additional space from the rear extension. The existing utility and office space at the front was repurposed as a new cinema room, complete with a raised false floor and tiered seating for that authentic home cinema experience!

As existing, the main entrance door to the property sat below a large 3 meter overhanging canopy and lead into a small and oppressive entrance hall. Deprived from natural light and awkwardly designed, the hallway felt cold and disconnected from the rest of the house. When re-imagining this space with the client, we wanted to create a more prestigious entrance into the property with an enhanced feeling of volume and to be able to flood the space with warmth and natural daylight. Extending forward on the front elevation with a double story atrium, not only provided extra space to the hall but the new full height glazing running from ground floor up to eaves level ensured that ample amounts of natural light flood’s the front of the property. Upon entering the property, the landing at the first-floor finishes 1.5 meter’s short of the front elevation, creating a double story open void above the entrance door, providing volume and grandeur to the entrance of the property. Increased depth at the front of the property via the atrium extension, enabled us to create an open & central staircase leading straight up the first floor, this coupled with the large glass double doors opposite the atrium and leading into the open plan space, allows for the seamless transition of light from the front of the property to the rear.

At the first floor, our client wanted an additional bedroom while ensuring the existing bedrooms were each suitably sized and upgraded with en-suites and walk-in-wardrobes where possible. Additionally, the existing dark landing area suffered from similar issues to the hallway below, so addressing this was a priority. Starting with the principal bedroom, our client wanted this positioned on the rear elevation, to make maximise the views at the rear. To facilitate this, we opted for full height glazing up to the soffit level with a vaulted ceiling directly above the bedroom. This adds to the sense of space and maximizes light into the bedroom – the 3 number full height glazing units on the rear elevation are positioned directly above the sliding door openings at the ground floor, which provide symmetry along the rear elevation and create a blanket of full height glazing/openings.

The principal bedroom is complete with a spacious en-suite with separate shower and free-standing bath as well as a suitably sized walk-in wardrobe. The added space allows the secondary bedroom to also boast a walk-wardrobe & en-suite. The first floor now totals 5 bedrooms, 3 en-suite’s, 2 walk in wardrobes and 1 large family bathroom within a new first floor footprint of 188m². Moreover, the new landing shares the same benefits from the full height open atrium that the hallway below does – ample natural light with a new “wow factor” feel.

Planning

Throughout the design process, we reviewed Rochdale Borough Council’s Supplementary Planning Document, to ensure our proposed scheme adhered to their design standards and SPD policies. Firstly, the external design and building aesthetics replicate a host of materials used on similar properties within the vicinity, (sandstone and dark brickwork). Secondly, the additions are purposely designed to be subservient to the host dwelling – most notably the side extension which is intentionally set back from the main principal elevation, in addition the rear extensions proposed roof line is set down from the main ridge line. The canopy on the front elevation softens the overall scale of the property and helps to tie the original dwelling into the new additions. Once the external designs were agreed with the client, we handled the planning submission to Rochdale Borough Council. Given the proximity to the ancient woodland, PJH Architectural Services worked closely with an arboriculturist to ensure the application ran smoothly and the necessary supplementary information was submitted as part of the original application, to avoid delays. The tree survey information and detailed method statements ensured that the proposed development was in accordance with Rochdale Borough Councils in house Arboriculturist requirements.

Building regulations & tender

Once planning was granted, PJH Architectural Services proceeded with the detailed building regulations and tender drawings. Once complete, PJH Architectural Services liaised with the structural engineer and steel fabricators to discuss potential steel designs in order to value engineer the project, once agreed, PJH Architectural Services submitted a building control application to an approved inspector on behalf of our client. Our client is looking forward to starting on site in summer 2023, and is hoping to be moving into the property by Spring 2024.

Thinking of pursuing something similar to this project? Feel free to take a look at some of our blogs:

How To Maintain Your Budget During Your Build
Glazing Features – Bifolding Vs Sliding Doors
Should I Knock Down My House Or Renovate? 

If you need any advice on the first steps of designing and planning an external renovation project, extension or new build feel free to get in touch for a brief chat, we are here to help.

Email: enquiry@pjhas.co.uk

Tel: 0161 4600382