Combe Park Farm, South Hams

Project Overview

Contemporary Replacement Dwelling with Class Q Fallback | South Hams, Devon

As Architects specialising in modern rural architecture, this contemporary green zinc and natural stone replacement dwelling in the South Hams, Devon, demonstrates how modern design and sustainable thinking can transform a rural site, while respecting its agricultural setting. The project benefits from an established Class Q fallback position, providing the opportunity to replace a simple agricultural pole barn with a high-quality family home carefully designed for modern rural living.

The proposal delivers a spacious, four-bedroom lifetime home that combines contemporary design with the character of Devons rural countryside vernacular. Drawing inspiration from traditional agricultural buildings, the dwelling adopts a simple bank barn form, using natural stone, slate, and standing seam zinc cladding creating a refined, rural aesthetic. Carefully positioned glazing and an upside-down internal layout maximise panoramic views across the surrounding moorland while maintaining a restrained agricultural appearance.

Sustainability is at the heart of this design, constructed with a high-performance passive timber frame system, incorporating on-site renewable energy technologies and minimal carbon footprint. The proposal achieves South Hams planning DEV32 carbon assessment with an embodied carbon payback period of just 24.7 years demonstrating how replacement dwellings can exceed current environmental standards while enhancing rural landscapes.

This project illustrates our approach to contemporary architecture in Devon—creating sustainable replacement dwellings and Class Q barn conversion opportunities that balance innovative design, planning policy and environmental performance. Through thoughtful architecture, we deliver modern rural homes that are energy efficient, contextually sensitive and designed to stand the test of time.

Project Status:

Planning

Location:

Roborough, South Hams

Project Team:

Architect: Vessel Architects
Planning: Atticus
Measured Survey: Orbital