Dingle Dell – as seen on Grand Designs
In March 2010, we obtained special planning permission under PPS7 for a large new Zero-carbon Cob House, which was to become Dingle Dell.
This was the result of more than a year in the design and a great deal of upfront investment in preparing the planning application. PPS7 stands for the Government’s Planning Policy Statement 7 about Sustainable Development in rural areas. This is a complex document which was superseded by the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) The following is a short extract from the PPS7 ”Isolated new houses in the countryside will require special justification for planning permission to be granted … Very occasionally the exceptional quality and innovative nature of the design of a proposed, isolated new house may provide this special justification for granting planning permission. Such a design should be truly outstanding and ground-breaking, for example in its use of materials, methods of construction or its contribution to protecting and enhancing the environment, so helping to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas. The value of such a building will be found in its reflection of the highest standards in contemporary architecture, the significant enhancement of its immediate setting and its sensitivity to the defining characteristics of the local area.”
Our design, was a collaborative effort with input from several different Architects and professionals in the CSH, M&E, structural engineering, as well renewable technologies experts, drainage experts and an ecologist, while also getting feedback from planners at our Local Authority. We endeavoured to meet all the criteria as somewhat vaguely laid out in this extract. We were only the second ever applicants under this category to receive planning permission without having to go to appeal – in fact the planning committee were virtually unanimous in their support.
This is a truly groundbreaking building, meeting code for sustainable homes level 6 (the highest possible level) and also meeting PassivHaus levels of thermal performance, bringing cob to the cutting edge of UK domestic Architecture. We wanted to show you can have comfort, luxury, space for the extended family and to run a business, all at the same time as harmonising with the environment. We wanted to make a bold, yet sensitive and beautiful, statement.
The scale of this enormous project is breathtaking. We moved over 5,000 tonnes of soil and excavated over a quarter of a mile of foundations, laid 15,000 lightweight blocks (many 350mm wide), as well 10,000 dense concrete blocks, for the reinforced retaining walls. We laid 27 loads of eco concrete, containing 75% less cement, due to the use of PFA, which is a waste product from coal fired power stations. We have built 2,000 tonnes of cob, which has gone into the outbuildings, as well as the main house and annexe.
We have a 10KW PV system, which was running and registered before the government deadline of December 12 2011, when feed in tariffs for new build systems were drastically reduced.
The gently rolling wild flower meadow roof (in which no single piece of timber had the same angle as another!), along with 2012’s incredible rainfall, all contributed to the build taking longer than originally planned.
The finished home was absolutely worth the effort!
![Annexe available as holiday let on Airbnb website title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSCN8093-200x200.jpg)
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![Master ensuite title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/master-ensuite-2-200x200.jpg)
Beautiful curved travertine shower enclosure
![Master ensuite title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/master-ensuite-1-200x200.jpg)
![Master ensuite title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/master-ensuite-200x200.jpg)
![Wattle and daub stair baluster title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC_2227-200x200.jpg)
![First flight of our solid oak spiral staircase in place title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/DSCN3110-200x200.jpg)
![First flight of our solid oak spiral staircase in place title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/DSCN3185-200x200.jpg)
Beautiful curves on the 1st floor ceilings emphasised by the plaster
![Plastering 1st floor ceilings title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG-20170511-WA0006-200x200.jpg)
Tricky plasterboarding on the main stair well roof light.
![Main stair well title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG-20170511-WA0014-200x200.jpg)
Earth wool insulation and Intello airtightness membrane on 1st floor ceilings
![Earth wool insulation title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG-20170511-WA0007-200x200.jpg)
A frosty start on our new gates
![Frosty start title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSCN2903-200x200.jpg)
The first lighting of our super efficient Woodfire Evo Stove
![Woodfire evo title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/woodfire-evo-200x200.jpg)
Our 2000 litre Akvaterm thermal store plumbed into the main house
![Thermal store title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG-20161123-WA0000-200x200.jpg)
The 6 solar hot water panels, each of 30 evacuated tubes still catching the evening’s sun.
![Solar tube panels title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_0489-200x200.jpg)
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![Underfloor heating and an earth floor in the main house title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DSC_0159-200x200.jpg)
![Breaking through from the sun space to the Annexe title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/DSC_2625-200x200.jpg)
![South elevation of the sun space glazing complete title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/DSC_0108-200x200.jpg)
![North Elevation complete title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/DSC_0110-200x200.jpg)
![A team effort to secure each of the glazed units title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/DSC_2668-200x200.jpg)
![Laminated oak mullions going into place title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/DSC_0122-200x200.jpg)
![Machining the huge oak mullions in my workshop title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/DSCN2609-200x200.jpg)
The whole site.
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Showing all three stories of both the house and annex.
![Rear view from the North title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/buildsomethingbeautiful_452-200x200.jpg)
This shows how the building forms both a boundary wall and screen for both properties
![View of the new range of barns at Dingle Dell title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/buildsomethingbeautiful_453-200x200.jpg)
Annex insulated and rendered – gradually getting there!
![Annex insulated and rendered title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/buildsomethingbeautiful_469-200x200.jpg)
Really enjoying living with this Lenius Wood Burner I need to light it for a few hours every other day thru the winter to keep me warm, and in hot water.
![Wood burner in the Annex title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_482-200x200.jpg)
Lovely sunsets from here, as a balcony facing West will be constructed coming out to the larch pole holding up the overhanging roof.
![All three floor will be fully glazed title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_481-200x200.jpg)
Windows make it feel like a house.
![Windows going in title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_480-200x200.jpg)
This building is being used to teach cob building on my current courses.
![Two storey Bicycle workshop and garden store title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_479-200x200.jpg)
This electric Aga will store free energy from our 10kw peak PV system during the day, which we can cook on for free in the evening!
![Aga goes in to the main house Kitchen title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_478-200x200.jpg)
Gives Adam from Honiton plumbing a bit of a headache! as it will eventually have solar thermal and a GSHP all feeding in with Hot Water and underfloor heating coming out… doing a lovely job!
![Large pressurised thermal store title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_477-200x200.jpg)
This High Tech German stove is up to 84.5% efficient and most of the heat goes to a mains pressurised hot water system.
![Lenius wood burner title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_476-200x200.jpg)
One way to disguise an air inlet valve.
![One way to disguise an air inlet valve title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_475-200x200.jpg)
Under the new shelves, we were able to sieve the cob removed, and use it as part of the earth plaster.
![Bit of underfloor heating title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_474-200x200.jpg)
Oak as the surface, otherwise just limewashed earth plaster.
![Finished shelf title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_473-200x200.jpg)
This is the top studio of the Annex which I hope soon to make my temporary home – so looking forward to all that insulation in contrast to my caravan!!
![Shelves title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_472-200x200.jpg)
Rear view showing the three storeys of the Annex now lime washed.
![Rear view showing the three storeys of the Annex title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_471-200x200.jpg)
![Green roof looking good title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_470-200x200.jpg)
![So pleased with this! title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/buildsomethingbeautiful_457-200x200.jpg)
![The roof wild flowers this summer title=](https://www.buildsomethingbeautiful.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/buildsomethingbeautiful_456-200x200.jpg)