Contemporary Community-Led Housing
Faith Gardens in Poole was designed as a response to both local housing needs and the planning opportunity presented by a former cargo depot site. These modest yet thoughtfully designed schemes unlock the potential of a backland site, providing high-quality, low-cost homes that are visually appealing, energy-conscious, and fit seamlessly into their established suburban setting.
Low-Impact Living
Faith Gardens demonstrates how small-scale suburban developments can deliver real sustainability gains. The homes are compact and efficient, making the most of the available land while offering generous internal layouts and outdoor space. Permeable grasscrete parking supports surface water management and improves site ecology, while the use of low-embodied carbon materials such as timber cladding reduces the scheme’s environmental impact. These homes are designed to be not just affordable, but also future-resilient.
Contextual Sensitivity
The development integrates seamlessly into a neighbourhood with varied housing types. Rather than mimic surrounding buildings, Faith Gardens introduces a respectful and contemporary character, with clean lines and a muted palette that enhances rather than dominates. Scale, rhythm, and orientation have been carefully considered to ensure that the new homes sit comfortably within their setting, offering a model for good practice in backland development.
Designed for Everyday Life
This development supports local families and first-time buyers by offering affordable homes without sacrificing quality. Each home features a private garden, dedicated parking, and bright, open-plan interiors, creating spaces that are both functional and uplifting. These are homes designed for longevity and liveability, contributing not just to housing numbers, but to the wellbeing of those who live in them.
Backland development as good practice
Set within rear plots within a large residential area, the site presented constraints typical of infill development: proximity to neighbours, limited access, and a mixed residential context. Rather than compromise, the design strategy embraced these factors, proposing compact dwellings that are sensitive to the street’s rhythm, scale, and massing. The final forms are respectful to their neighbours while introducing a distinct, modern character to the area.
The wider Faith Gardens development was delivered over multiple phases, introducing four terraced homes, three, 2-storey terraced houses with dedicated parking, a single 3-bedroom dwelling, complemented by three additional parking spaces for adjacent flats and two semi-detached chalet bungalows, each with landscaped gardens and on-plot parking.Across all phases, each home benefits from outdoor space, parking in line with local policy, and contemporary interiors designed for natural light and ease of living.
Design that elevates affordability
The architecture of Faith Gardens demonstrates how affordable housing can be both cost-effective and design-led. A refined material palette combining timber cladding with crisp render draws from the local vernacular while adding texture and clarity. Feature oriel windows and clean building lines provide visual interest without complexity.
Internally, the layouts prioritise openness, flexibility and connection to outdoor space. Large glazed openings to garden areas promote daylight and passive solar gain, supporting wellbeing and reducing energy use.
Sustainability and Subtle Biodiversity
Faith Gardens shows how small-scale developments can integrate sustainability principles:
Brownfield regeneration:
Reusing a former industrial site within the urban fabric avoids land sprawl and makes efficient use of existing infrastructure.
Material and form:
The choice of natural, low-maintenance materials—such as timber—minimises embodied carbon and enhances longevity.
Biodiversity gains:
New trees and gardens provide ecological uplift, supported by permeable grasscrete parking surfaces to manage surface water and promote greening.
Light-filled homes:
Rooflights and carefully positioned windows ensure internal spaces are well-lit and ventilated, enhancing occupant comfort and reducing reliance on artificial lighting.
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Get Your Project Off The Ground
Get in touch today to kick-start your project. Let us know a few details and we’ll be in touch to discuss bringing your vision to life. Or call us on 01202 818 966