February 25 2010

Skye based Rural Design have completed initial design work for a new housing development on the edge of Lochinver, Sutherland.

Development land in the landlocked village is scarce but following a community buy out in 2005 the Assynt Foundation purchased a site at Glencanisp to provide new housing in the village.

In the shadow of Suilven the site comprises three billion year old cnocan rock formations and deep peat beds, presenting considerable design challenges for Rural.

In addressing these the practice has proposed arranging 30 houses around four aggregated blocks to minimise the environmental impact of the building footprint and allow for a communal heating system.

Timber framed and timber clad with turf roofs the terraces have been specifically designed to show that: “Our beautiful landscape need not be degraded into suburbia and that it is possible to achieve badly needed housing without destroying our heritage”, said practice director Alan Dickson.

A funding request has been made to the Scottish government and a planning application will be submitted shortly.

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