April 17 2020

Lochalsh & Skye Housing Association have advanced plans for a further 24 homes for affordable rent at Campbell’s Farm, Broadford, in a fourth wave of housing for the site.

Helmed by Wittets Architects the masterplan calls for 54 homes to be built on a 4 hectare greenfield site to the south of the village, joining a further 72 homes delivered in earlier phases.

Explaining the key principles behind their design the architects wrote: “Whilst it is important to tie into the local context and respect how the area has evolved and adapted over the years, it is equally important that we learn from history and re-interpret in a contemporary way as to not mimic; to create a design rooted in tradition but contemporary in spirit.

“Based on the local context, a mix of storey heights with traditional pitched roofs of dark grey tiles, off-white smooth dash render to walls with smaller areas of cladding boards have been considered appropriate and complement previous phases of the development.”

Buildings will be oriented to provide maximum shelter and solar gain with timber cladding to upper floors and porches with overhanging entrances supported by steel posts to form clear thresholds.

A Spring start is estimated for the build which will include a mix of detached homes, terraces and semis alongside cottage flats.

9 Comments

#1 Posted by Sue Pearman on 17 Apr 2020 at 14:09 PM

This is disappointing. Instead of learing from recent exemplar projects in the area the housing association seem to be reverting to typical 80's cul-de-sac suburban sprawl with this banal layout.

#2 Posted by Inahuf on 19 Apr 2020 at 20:39 PM

That sketch is awful! Did they get their kid to do it to keep them busy while at home?

#3 Posted by mick on 20 Apr 2020 at 13:14 PM

QUOTE It is equally important that we learn from history and re-interpret in a contemporary way as to not mimic; to create a design rooted in tradition but contemporary in spirit. UNQUOTE allegedly from the architect. Well please quote me.....This proposal truly epitomises miserable, pathetic, suburban mass house builder droppings.

#4 Posted by Fush And Chips on 20 Apr 2020 at 16:50 PM

Looks more like an English housing estate than something befitting one of the most beautiful places on the planet....

#5 Posted by Nairn's Bairn on 20 Apr 2020 at 18:33 PM

If only one of the local Skye practices could have been given this.

Saying that, they're likely kept pretty busy designing millionaire's second homes - likely more rewarding than low-cost social housing.

#6 Posted by Inahuf on 21 Apr 2020 at 11:58 AM

#5 Wittets have a Skye office, but from their website are more used to designing overblown one-off hooses in the middle of fields than creating places, especially on a budget.

#7 Posted by Reality Check on 21 Apr 2020 at 12:03 PM

C’mon everyone, let’s be honest, the reality is that LSHA get a set amount of grant from Scot Govt to build new houses and have to borrow the rest and pay that off using the level of social rent collected. These may not be to everyone’s liking, but they are built to a high environmental standard with low running costs as dictated in the grant conditions. LSHA probably have similar stock in the area and that keeps their management & maintenance costs down to avoid tenants rents going up. Also housing need in the area is very high so affordable housing is very much required. So in summary, the choice is do you build houses that meet housing need and sustain communities or would you prefer fewer bespoke builds that will cost twice as much, possibly be unaffordable to LHSA and tough luck to the young people on the island who are in housing need. We may not like it, but sometimes pragmatism is required.

#8 Posted by Nairn's Bairn on 21 Apr 2020 at 16:01 PM

#6 You're absolutely right, apologies to Wittets there, I didn't realise they had a Skye presence.

I perhaps should have said 'better-publicised' rather than 'local'.

#9 Posted by Inahuf on 21 Apr 2020 at 20:21 PM

#7 it’s not about the house design as the layout. Loads of space, loads of roads, no social or placemaking value back from that investment.

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