Hammond Road, Fareham, PO15 6PU

The client wanted to investigate the development potential of a large semi-detached property, in terms of a plot sub-division.

This was challenging owing to the way surrounding housing had been laid out, some of which was arranged around open green squares, sharing parking courts off the main highway, seen edged red in the aerial photograph below.

A similar plot sub-division had occurred elsewhere in the street (see above in yellow) under a permission first granted in 1993, but that site was not so constrained. Fareham Borough Council had not required any on-site car parking: it was unlikely that such opportunity would present itself at the site the client was considering, as the open space between the site and Ocean Close was protected.

As is common with many such plots, designing a dwelling to match the surrounding ‘grain’ whilst not appearing overbearing to occupiers for neighbouring properties, nor intrusively overlooking them were the key issues to be addressed.

Advice was given as to the key Development Plan policies relating to such matters and the relative proximity of local amenities and shops if a ‘no car parking’ solution was going to stand any chance of support by the council.

Some block diagrams were also provided to demonstrate the most likely sub-division in urban design terms.