Hawkes Architecture

17/06/2026

Following a somewhat (sadly) predictable committee experience earlier this week it’s interesting to look back & read the appeal decision following a virtual carbon copy experience we had with Wealden District Council back in 2018.

Members simply are not equipped or sufficiently prepared or experienced to deal with the extraordinarily layered & rigorous processes involved with formulating a robust scheme.

It’s farcical really. We could’ve got thousands of trees planted this autumn & re-established the ancient woodland connectivity while we develop the technical design. Alas that’ll have to wait while we jump through more hoops and put it to the inspectorate who, by & large, have a good handle on what meeting the policy tests means.

LAKE HOUSE. (Paragraph 79) Planning Approved.

On the 18th September 2019 The Planning Inspectorate allowed our appeal to build a paragraph 79 house set within a 40 acre site within the High Weald AONB near Rotherfield in Kent.

The proposals had the full support of Wealden District Council's planning officers only to be refused by the council's committee.

The Inspector, Mr Papworth, applauded the rigorous approach to the site analysis and the requirements of the client which, ". . led to a building and its surrounding landscape that is of the highest standards of design."

"This approach results in a building that at the least reflects the highest standards in architecture and in many aspects exceeds them".

This represents our 18th consent under the policy provision that is now paragraph 79 and our 6th within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Find out more at:
http://www.hawkesarchitecture.co.uk/lake-house/

17/06/2026

As yet, and still to this day, every single home we’ve designed & built is still being lived in by their original owner.
No completed Hawkes Architecture homes have yet been on the market.

That’s pretty cool after 18 years of being in business !
Testament to quality and appropriateness of design and viability being right for the clients and the location.

Richard’s podcast interview this week with Country Life where Richard talks about designing country houses of exceptional quality is available on Spotify.

https://www.countrylife.co.uk/podcast/the-architect-whose-grand-designs-bring-inspiration-and-beauty-to-the-british-countryside-267115

16/06/2026

Rotate the phone...

Designed to respond sensitively to its rural setting, the home presents as a traditional gabled form from the public realm, while revealing a more contemporary architectural expression when viewed from lower down within the orchard.

The angled façade transforms depending on the viewpoint, with warm red clay tones defining one elevation and off-white render characterising the other. This duality creates a building that feels both familiar and modern, deeply rooted in its landscape and thoughtfully considered in every detail.

Check out Rural Faversham on our website for more info about the project!

15/06/2026

10 Reasons Paragraph 84 Applications Fail (And What to Do Instead)

Most Paragraph 84 applications don't fail because the site isn't good enough. They fail because the approach wasn't right from the start. 🏡

With 39 consents secured, Hawkes Architecture has seen every pitfall this planning pathway throws at applicants. The most common mistakes include treating the design as generic rather than site-specific (Paragraph 84 demands a building designed for that exact location, not a concept that could sit anywhere), failing to demonstrate that the site can be significantly enhanced (the question isn't whether enhancement is required, it's whether the architecture can genuinely deliver it), and underestimating the rigour of the NPPF's "exceptional quality" test (planners are not easily impressed, and vague design statements rarely hold up to scrutiny). What separates successful applications from failed ones is a deep understanding of landscape context, a forensic approach to the policy tests, and a design process built around them from day one. Have you started exploring a Paragraph 84 project, or are you still figuring out whether your site could qualify? 💬

Every one of the Paragraph 84 homes Hawkes Architecture has built has achieved an A-rated EPC certificate, because exceptional design and outstanding sustainability performance aren't competing priorities here. They go hand in hand. Getting the strategy right at the very beginning is what makes the difference between consent and refusal. If you're serious about building something truly remarkable in the English countryside, what's the single biggest question holding you back right now?

https://www.hawkesarchitecture.co.uk

09/06/2026

- DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY COMING SOON -

An exciting opportunity to acquire a plot of land on Romney Marsh with full planning permission for a unique Paragraph 84 dwelling.

A former farmhouse site with relic walls, set beyond the settlement, is perfectly poised for reinstatement as a striking contemporary home that celebrates both heritage and landscape. Designed with sensitivity to its rural setting, the proposal combines exceptional architecture with a deep connection to place.

This four-bedroom home is thoughtfully raised above the marsh, providing protection from the floodplain while allowing the landscape to thrive beneath.

On 12 August, Folkestone & Hythe District Council’s planning committee unanimously approved this exceptional new Paragraph 84 rural dwelling.

https://www.hawkesarchitecture.co.uk/info/li-romney-marsh-sale

Please contact us with any questions or enquiries!
CALL: +44 (0) 1580 892739
EMAIL: [email protected]

05/06/2026

Tucked between three fields, this lovely Paragraph 84 dwelling reinterprets two former farm structures through a contemporary rural lens.

A derelict stone barn and Dutch barn are preserved and connected by a striking modern intervention, creating a home shaped by landscape, history, and agricultural character.

Link in bio for more interesting projects!

02/06/2026

Passivhaus open days at Crossway!

Ever wondered what it's like to live in a Passivhaus?

As the first built Passivhaus in the UK, filmed on Grand Designs, this will be an amazing opportunity to come and visit the home.

Chat with Richard Hawkes about 17 years of passive living, explore the house, and get a first look at the new off-grid annex currently under construction!

Date: 25-28 Jun
Time: 10am-6pm
Where: Crossway, Staplehurst, Kent
Price: Free

Whether you're planning your own project or simply curious about low-energy living, we'd love to see you there.

Link to buy tickets below =>
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/open-day-at-a-grand-designs-icon-englands-first-completed-passive-house-tickets-1990073614753

29/05/2026

'A House With Purpose'

Proud to see one of our completed homes featured in the Wealden Times.

Designed for Katie Dockery and her family, this contemporary rural home was created to feel deeply connected to both landscape and purpose, blending sensitive architecture, Passive House principles, and nature-led living.

Set on the site of a former stud farm at the meeting point of Surrey, Kent and Sussex, the home takes cues from traditional agricultural forms while delivering a high-performance, low-energy living environment.

"Low-slung, barn-like shapes, almost modest in their architectural language, slowly reveal themselves, step by step, to be something altogether more thoughtful and integrated: a residential house designed not simply to sit in the landscape, but to truly participate in it."

What makes this project especially meaningful is its relationship to Katie’s charity, Viewpoint Centre, whose work supporting children and young adults through equine-assisted learning is rooted in the same principles that shaped the house: openness, wellbeing, and connection to the natural world.

Give the article a read:
https://priceless-magazines.com/interiors/a-house-with-purpose/

27/05/2026

This bank holiday weekend exposed a huge issue in British housing: overheating.

How many people have spent the last few days feeling like they were being microwaved inside their own homes?

At Hawkes, we design high-performance homes that stay comfortable year-round through fabric-first principles like:

• High-performance insulation
• Solar shading & overhangs
• Airtight construction
• Intelligent ventilation design

Because great architecture should do more than look beautiful, it should actively improve the way people live.

https://www.hawkesarchitecture.co.uk/info/fb-overheating

22/05/2026

House trumps in the sun ☀️