Description:

Our client approached us with a site on South Coast Road in Peacehaven and a brief to develop a mixed-use scheme including supported housing for adults with learning disabilities.

Following a comprehensive site analysis and massing studies, we devised a strategy for the site to accommodate the steeply sloping environment. Our approach includes placing market housing along the northern, western, and southern boundaries, while the supported living block is situated on the eastern side. We intentionally created open spaces between the areas of development to soften the overall appearance. Consequently, the site is accessible from South Coast Road to the north.

The market housing consists of two, three, and four-bedroom properties. We designed the smaller ones as ‘one and a half’ storey dwellings, incorporating first-floor accommodation within the roof slope. The larger homes are two storeys with a pitched roof. All of these houses benefit from private gardens.

Furthermore, the larger supported living block follows the slope of the landscape, stepping from four storeys down to two, with the upper storey set back to minimize its visual impact. Six of the twenty-two units are wheelchair accessible, and the remaining sixteen are adaptable. Due to the position of the building on the sloping site, level access is possible to both the ground and first floor. This means fourteen of the twenty-two units are accessible without requiring steps or a lift. Landscaping surrounds the supported living block, creating shared and private gardens for the residents.

All the accommodation is arranged around a modestly sized car park, which offers dedicated spaces for the houses. It will also include electric car charging points in addition to dedicated disabled bays.

We selected materials for their quality and longevity. To reduce potential maintenance requirements our selected materials are all suitable for use in a marine environment. These materials include zinc cladding, two contrasting tones of brick, PC aluminium windows, and fibre cement slates.