Winners of New Forest National Park Authority’s Building Design Awards revealed

UNIQUE buildings across the New Forest have been recognised for their impressive architecture.

The national park authority’s Building Design Awards celebrates the area’s top residential and commercial developments, as well as conservation projects and ‘green’ buildings.

This year’s winners includes an energy-efficient replacement for a 1950s bungalow near Totton, a community space built on the base of a Victorian water tower in Sway, and a Boldre property with its own woodland management plan.

A judging panel, comprising members of the NPA’s planning committee, were “particularly impressed” by this year’s entries, praising not just the outstanding design, but sustainability.

The winners received plaques created by New Forest-based company BearWood, using sustainable local oak.

Best Residential Scheme was awarded to Chestnut Plantation at Tatchbury Mount, near Totton, which replaced a 1950s bungalow with an open-plan home.

The property, designed by Lymington-based John Pardey Architects, was said to have given careful consideration to the site as a whole, and was called “a beautiful scheme” by the judges.

NPA’s policy and conservation manager, David Illsley, said at just 100sqm in floorspace, Chestnut Plantation is “a great example” of what can be achieved with a small dwelling.

Highly commended in category was The Clay Retreat at Norleywood.

Architects Pad Studio in Lymington created an inspired design for a home using traditional materials which judges said “complement each other and enhance the New Forest’s south east conservation area”.

In particular, they praised the “clever shading” on large windows to reduce light pollution and help protect wildlife.

The Clay Retreat, which has a pre-fabricated timber frame construction filled with blown paper insulation, also took the award for Best Green Building.

David said: “The building has particularly high energy efficiency standards which go above and beyond current building regulations.”

Highly commended in the category was Chestnut Plantation, with judges impressed by its solar panels, air source heat pump and woodland management plan for the surrounding land to improve biodiversity.

Best Non-Residential Building was awarded to The Living Room at spudWorks in Sway, which the judges described as having “remarkable detailing” and being “innovative on every level”.

Now a space for dementia care community use, it is built on the base of a Victorian water tower, with a new Douglas fir timber frame and locally-made cedar shingles.

The design, by Delve Architects in London, has energy-efficient insulation, low energy lighting and makes the best use of natural daylight. It also celebrates and preserves a heritage feature in the landscape.

David said: “The building is sympathetic to its surroundings and creates an inviting, informal art therapy space for people with dementia and mental health issues.

“The community purpose is outstanding and people from a wide range of backgrounds will be able to enjoy it.”

Chair of the planning committee and member of the awards panel, Gordon Bailey, said the standard of entries this year had “surpassed all others”.

He added: “There has been an increasing focus on areas such as climate change and sustainability on our planning policies and local design guidance.

“All our winning schemes demonstrate the sustainability measures that can be incorporated into new development, while respecting the environmental protections and local character of the national park.”