Contemporary New Build Home
near Newark, Nottinghamshire
Project Overview
MO Architects were appointed to design and deliver a contemporary new build family home in Harby, a village near Newark in Nottinghamshire.
The project involved the redevelopment of a former agricultural barn/storage site to create a high-quality four-bedroom detached home with open-plan living accommodation, a double garage and a dedicated home office. The site required a careful planning-led approach because new residential development in rural village locations can be tightly controlled.
By combining architectural design, site history, local character and planning strategy, MO Architects developed a proposal that responded positively to its setting while meeting the client’s brief for a spacious modern family home.
Project Snapshot
Design and Planning Approach
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Location: Harby, near Newark, Nottinghamshire
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Local Authority: Newark and Sherwood District Council
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Project Type: New Build Home/Self Build Home
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Property Type: Detached House
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Size: 250 sq.m
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Accommodation: 4 bedrooms, double garage, home office
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Services: Planning, Building Regulations, Tender and Construction Management
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Status: Completed
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Build Value: £400,000
The Brief
The client wanted to create a spacious contemporary family home that made better use of the site while still respecting the character of its rural village setting.
The brief included generous open-plan living spaces to the rear, a movie room to the front of the house, four bedrooms, a double garage and a separate home office above the garage. The aim was to create a practical, comfortable and future-ready home for modern family life.
A key part of the brief was also to unlock the planning potential of the site. Because the proposal involved a new dwelling in a sensitive village context, the design had to be supported by a clear planning strategy and a strong architectural justification.
The Planning Challenge
The main challenge was securing planning permission for a new home in a location where residential development is not automatically straightforward.
The existing site had previously been used for agricultural and business purposes, and this site history became an important part of the planning case. MO Architects assessed the planning context, the character of the surrounding area and the existing use of the land to help shape a proposal that could be justified in planning terms.
The design also needed to demonstrate that the new dwelling would sit comfortably within the village setting and would not appear as an inappropriate or overly urban form of development.
The architectural approach took cues from traditional agricultural buildings, using simple built forms and a restrained rural character to create a contemporary home that felt appropriate to its surroundings.
Rather than producing a generic new-build house, MO Architects developed a design that responded to the site’s former agricultural use and village context. The result was a contemporary barn-inspired home with generous internal spaces, practical family accommodation and a strong relationship to the rear garden.
The planning strategy was central to the success of the project. MO Architects considered the site’s previous agricultural and business uses, the character of the village and the wider planning context. Community engagement also formed part of the process, helping secure consultation support from the parish council and village school.
This careful, planning-led approach helped strengthen the proposal and contributed to a successful outcome.
Key Features
Client Testimonial
“Iain was great to work with from start to finish. He produced a fantastic design, was always professional, and his planning expertise really helped move the project forward. We’re very happy with the end result.” Private Client, Harby
The Outcome
MO Architects helped secure planning permission for a contemporary new build home on a constrained rural village site near Newark.
The completed project delivers a 250 sq.m four-bedroom family home with open-plan living, a movie room, double garage and home office accommodation. It demonstrates how a well-considered architectural design and a strong planning strategy can help unlock development potential on sites where new residential development may otherwise be challenging.
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Contemporary barn-inspired design
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Replacement of former agricultural/storage building
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Four-bedroom detached family home
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250 sq.m of accommodation
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Open-plan family living to the rear
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Movie room to the front
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Double garage with home office above
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Planning-led rural design strategy
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Community consultation and local engagement
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Full architectural service from planning through to construction support
Start Your Project
If you are planning a new build or replacement dwelling in Newark, Rushcliffe or nearby Nottinghamshire villages, MO Architects can help develop a design that responds to both planning policy and local character.