British and German Experts working together to bring Excellent Homes to the UK
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Two of the main challenges faced by those wishing to fulfil their dream of building a bespoke, energy efficient home in the UK are the plot search and the planning system.
There are numerous services offered in the web and by local estate agents and land agents to find a plot or a derelict property to replace with a new build in the target location.
But is the plot suitable? Will the planners grant permission for a contemporary dream house? How can the risk of buying a plot and then not getting planning permission for your dream house be minimised?
Stommel Haus work with British Planning Experts and Urban Designers
Stommel Haus identified this problem and have teamed up with two experienced and enthusiastic built environment professionals, Dharmista Patel and Stefan Kruczkowski.
Dharmista is a Chartered Town Planner and divides her time managing the Regional Design Review Panel on behalf of OPUN (East Midlands Architecture Centre) and her own consultancy business. Dharmista specialises in planning and urban design. She previously worked within local authority planning departments and has extensive experience in a number of disciplines including conservation, transport, development management, regeneration, urban design and more recently works with local authorities in raising design quality at both a local and regional level.
Stefan is a Recognised Practitioner in Urban Design and divides his time between urban design lecturing and research at Nottingham Trent University and his own consultancy business. Stefan specialises in urban design in residential development. Stefan previously worked for three planning departments as an
internal design advisor and is therefore well accustomed to the planning process. He was an enabler for CABE (the government’s advisor on architecture, urban design and public space) supporting the work of the Urban Design and Homes Team until CABE was succeeded by the Design Council. Stefan is now a Built Environment Expert (BEE) for the Design Council.
Following a visit to the Stommel Haus headquarters in Germany, Stefan and Dharmista were very impressed with the energy efficiency, the high quality of the build and interiors, the speed of erection and adherence to budget and schedule provided by Stommel Haus.
Dharmista and Stefan, with their extensive experience housing, sustainability and design, are very keen and able to support the Stommel Haus clients wishing to build their high quality dream homes. Such enthusiastic and pro-active people complement the Stommel Haus ethics and we look forward to this team offering significant benefits to our prospects in the areas of plot selection and planning.
How does it work?
Stommel Haus prospects who are interested in having professional support for their planning process can commission Dharmista and Stefan to find out whether there is development potential for the plotbeing considered. After an initial research and assessment of the planning situation and development potential of the plot in question, Dharmista and Stefan will come on site together with the Stommel Haus sales team to look at the plot and discuss the project and the planning implications and – as long as the development potential for the dream project is attractive – to start the planning process.
Based on a detailed briefing done by Stommel Haus with the clients on requirements for living surface, number of bedrooms, layout, architecture and target budget, as well as the outcome of the research on the development potential of the plot completed by Dharmista and Stefan, Stommel Haus will provide a design proposal for discussion. This can be reviewed and amended in line with the prospects wishes and a final design will be used by Dharmista and Stefan for the planning application. A lot of money and time can be saved with this approach as the design proposed by Stommel Haus will incorporate the planning input by Dharmista and Stefan and thereby ensures we tick all the boxes of the client’s briefing while complying with the requirements of planning approval.
This team of British and German experts working together offers a cost effective service – reducing the risk of buying the wrong plot – easing the otherwise painful planning process and above all – making the whole experience of building a “dream” bespoke Stommel Haus home enjoyable.
About Stommel Haus
Stommel Haus GmbH is a German Premium manufacturer of bespoke, energy efficient, solid timber houses. With more than 40 years of experience, the family business has proven that building with solid timber, energy efficiency, contemporary design and the attention to quality are no contradiction but lead to providing a modern, ecological and high quality product.
Nestled in the small town of Neunkirchen-Seelscheid near Cologne, Stommel Haus develops and produces their certified and precision built timber houses off- site in the sheltered environment of the factory. The houses are transported on site where they are erected by qualified teams and made wind and water tight typically within 5 to 7 days. The under-floor heating, heat pumps and the high quality interiors are then fitted by German craftsmen with only top class products.
