Detailed planning consent has been obtained for a one and a half storey ‘L’- shaped dwelling, set around a courtyard in the centre of this historic rural town. The scheme follows a barn conversion aesthetic and proposes to use natural rubble limestone, pre-weathered timber cladding and a natural slate roof covering.

The northern boundary wall of the dwelling is curved on a shallow radius to pay homage to the curved wall of the former historic building. The southern boundary is enclosed with a high rubble stone wall to help provide privacy and acoustic separation from the neighbouring building, a former workshop with planning permission for a residential development. The living spaces are arranged around the courtyard garden and have full height vaulted ceilings with skylights and exposed feature timber trusses. Large, glazed openings are positioned around the internal elevations overlooking the courtyard amenity space. Bi-folding to open out to the courtyard garden in the summer. Internal areas adjacent to the bi-fold doors can serve as internal balconies during winter to help provide additional amenity space to the courtyard garden. The carparking area provides a semi-enclosed service area for bins, bike storage. An air source heat pump and an electric vehicle charge point are incorporated within the building and not visible from the street.

The overall design of the proposed dwelling is that of a a contemporary building with an agricultural aesthetic having a simple form and a pared back appearance.

The plot is approximately 200sq.m with good access from the road via existing vehicle access.

The site comprises a disused parcel of land within a predominantly residential area of the town. It comprises a gently sloping vacant plot laid to hard-standing with areas of grass and scrub. The site is accessed via metal mesh gates. It is bounded by a high chain-link fence on the south-eastern, north-eastern and north-western boundaries. The north-western boundary is mainly formed of a mid-height rubble stone retaining wall.

The site backs onto a housing development in an elevated position to the west, which comprises two-storey housing constructed in artificial stone and having gabled roofs covered in profiled concrete tiles. To the north and east of the site is a mix of houses from various periods. While the houses are of a variety of styles and materials, a unifying factor is the natural stone boundary walls.

Highworth is an ancient hilltop town and is the highest town in Wiltshire, situated about six miles to the northeast of Swindon, 4 miles from Shrivenham and 29 miles west of Oxford. The town is a conservation area containing eighty-four listed buildings and a grade I listed church.

Highworth is a town with many facilities including a golf course, a recreation centre with an indoor swimming pool with diving facilities, gym and squash courts. In addition there are plenty of eating places to meet all tastes, plus a prize winning deli, and a traditional English butcher. Highworth is a 13-minute drive from the M4 and a 15minute drive from Swindon Railway Station.

Swindon is a large town with excellent employment mainly in technology sectors. It has main line train and motorway links to London and Bristol. Swindon has numerous primary and secondary schools, both state funded and private within a comfortable commute of Highworth. Two of the largest supermarkets in Swindon are within a 10-minute drive of the plot.

The plot has very recently gained detailed planning consent from Swindon Borough Council. Planning reference available on request to registered buyers.

CIL contribution is estimated at £6,160 using documents in the public domain:
https://www.swindon.gov.uk/downloads/file/5141/community_infrastructure_levy_charging_schedule

Self-builders can obtain a CIL exemption.

A full topographic survey of the site is also available.

The site has access to all mains services.

The site can be viewed from the road but there is no access to the site without an appointment made through The Landbank Partnership.