Our design for the new £4m mixed tenure building will replace the existing Athol House and occupies a similar footprint but is elevated slightly above the current ground floor level to ensure flood safety, given the proximity of the River Pont, and moved slightly further from neighbouring properties to ensure no loss of privacy.

The planning permission comes after an extensive period of local consultation which began in November 2018 with the local community, planners and councillors. Both Karbon Homes and ourselves felt it of vital importance to listen to the local community and their views on the scale and style of the new building and our plans have been adjusted accordingly on several occasions.

The end result, however, will hopefully justify the lengthy consultation period as the new development replaces the previous style of small bedsit style flats, which no longer meet modern standards or residents’ aspirations, with 34 larger homes, 6 of which are one bed designs with the remaining 26 being two bedroom designs.

Whilst the site sits just outside the Ponteland Conservation Area, the building’s appearance will be very much in- keeping with the look and feel of the village. Although there is no dominant style within the village, the palette of materials has been selected to reflect the local vernacular immediately adjacent and includes buff brick, light coloured render, timber effect cladding and a red pantile roof.

In line with flooding guidelines from the Environment Agency, the building has had to be lifted approximately 1.5m above the existing ground level. To reduce the impact of this additional height, the design includes dual pitched roofs and dormer windows which has also helped to break up the roof mass with part of the building reduced to two storeys.

Whilst all the apartments are self-contained, there is also a residents’ communal lounge and guest suite to the ground floor whilst, externally, communal garden offers opportunities for social interaction in a natural, outdoor setting and provides a green aspect fronting the public view.

The existing mature trees will be retained with new hard landscaping including clearly defined parking bays and pedestrian access, including ramps and paved terraces.