Appeal Success: Green Belt Approval for Passive Eco Home
We are delighted to announce that the Planning Inspectorate has overturned a local refusal, granting planning permission for a highly sustainable new home in Marsh Lane, North East Derbyshire.
At MAD Architects LLP, we understand that navigating complex planning policies often requires a collaborative approach. This victory highlights our ability to build the right team and unlock the potential of difficult sites—even those located in the sensitive Green Belt.
The Challenge: Building in the Green Belt
The site, located off Lightwood Road in Marsh Lane, Derbyshire, has a rich industrial history. Originally the home of the Lightwood Colliery , the land is now defined by a remnant L-shaped stone mine wall and a modest timber workshop.
Our clients wanted to replace the existing workshop with a compact, high-performance eco-home. However, the site sits within the North East Derbyshire Green Belt.
The Local Planning Authority initially refused the application. They argued that replacing the workshop with a residential dwelling would create "inappropriate development" and that the "residential paraphernalia" (cars, gardens, lighting) would harm the openness of the countryside. We disagreed.
The Strategy: Collaboration & Precision Design
We knew this site had potential because it is technically "Previously Developed Land" (PDL). To secure the "Yes" at appeal, we worked closely with specialist planning consultants to combine a rigorous policy argument with a sympathetic architectural response.
The Policy Argument (NPPF Para 154g): Working with our planning partners, we successfully argued to the Planning Inspectorate that the site qualified as Previously Developed Land. We demonstrated that redeveloping it would not cause "substantial harm" to the openness of the Green Belt. The Inspector agreed, noting that while there is a minor impact, it fell within the allowable exceptions of the National Planning Policy Framework.
The "Invisible" Design: To protect the open character of the landscape, we designed the home to sit lower than the building it replaces.
Low Profile: We utilized a flat roof design, ensuring the new ridgeline is below the height of the existing workshop.
Materiality: The elevation uses natural stone to reference the historic mine walls, combined with charred timber cladding. This allows the building to visually recede into the backdrop of mature vegetation.
Passive Orientation: The linear plan glazes the south façade to maximize solar gain, while the north façade (housing plant rooms and storage) remains solid and hunkered down.
The Sustainability Factor
Beyond the planning win, this home is designed to perform. Targeting Passivhaus standards, the technical specification includes:
Ground-mounted solar panels and battery storage.
Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) and MVHR ventilation.
Rainwater harvesting and wood fibre insulation.
Biodiversity enhancements including a wildflower green roof and a restored pond.
What's Next?
With the decision notice issued, we are now moving swiftly into the Technical Design phase. We look forward to seeing this self-build project come to life on site.