This proposal supports the delivery of nine high-quality homes at Godstone Farm, responding directly to the need for sustainable, locally accessible housing for farm employees. By enabling staff to live close to their workplace, the scheme strengthens the long-term resilience of the farm while reducing travel demand and supporting village life.

The development is modest in scale and carefully integrated, organised around a central landscaped square that forms a shared focal point for residents. This communal green space encourages interaction, provides natural surveillance and reinforces a strong sense of identity. In doing so, the scheme balances operational needs with social value, ensuring the farm remains a thriving and sustainable local asset for years to come.

Our approach placed community engagement and landscape integration at the centre of the design process. Early public consultation created space for local residents to understand the ambition of the scheme and to share concerns, particularly around access, landscape impact and integration with the village.

We used this dialogue to test and refine proposals, shaping the layout around a well-defined community square and strengthening pedestrian connections to it. Key trees were protected, new planting introduced and the development kept modest in scale to maintain the site’s green character. Rather than presenting a fixed solution, the design evolved through conversation.

By listening carefully and responding openly, we built confidence in the proposal and shaped a scheme that reflects operational needs while reinforcing the landscape setting of Godstone.

The design responded carefully to its triangular site, bounded by Tilburstow Hill Road, Eastbourne Road and Love Lane. The layout evolved into a compact and energy-efficient arrangement of houses, flats and maisonettes arranged around a central landscaped square. This approach allowed levels to remain largely undisturbed, protected important perimeter trees and increased planting across the site.

Architecturally, the scheme drew from Godstone’s late 19th-century terraced and semi-detached typologies, incorporating gable roofs, brick detailing, bay windows and recessed porches to reflect local character. Roof forms were oriented to optimise solar gain for photovoltaic panels, reinforcing the project’s sustainability ambitions. A fabric-first approach, supported by passive energy strategies, MVHR and on-site solar PV generation, ensured low operational energy demand while maintaining comfort.

The result is a modest, landscape-led development that integrates with its context, prioritises environmental performance and centres on a clearly defined and cohesive community square.