Unique Circular Garden Rooms, modular school buildings and lodges - Handcrafted in the UK
Might you need to apply for planning permission for your school?
Permitted development rights are a national grant of planning permission which allow certain building works and changes of use to be carried out without having to make a planning application. Whilst a large scale development or extension cannot avoid the process there are some permitted developments that can avoid this delay.
Under the General Permitted Development Order 1995 there are a couple of options available to schools:
An extension up to 25% of the original floor space or 100 square meters, whichever is the lesser, however, there are caveats that can restrict this development and the total floor area is classed as the original school so may already have been used up by previous projects.
For schools owned by the local authority there is an additional allowance of any small ancillary building, works or equipment on land belonging or maintained by them required for the purposes of any function exercised by them. This offers a greater amount of flexibility but more open to interpretation on whether the proposals are an ancillary function.
A local planning authority delivers the planning service for a local area and should always be the first point of contact for any planning enquiries. A local planning authority will have professional planning officers working for them who can offer planning advice, particularly on the interpretation of planning law and planning policy. Some local planning authorities charge for pre-application advice.
If you’re considering an ancillary building for your school (rather than primary use – ie: to be used as a forest school meeting point rather than a formal classroom building) then please don’t hesitate to get in touch for your non-obligation site survey!
6.5m School building with Anthracite grey windows and door- sedum blanket on the roof
The beauty of a sedum roof is that is relatively low maintenance. Although you may need to consider some essential tasks if you want your green roof to flourish and attract wildlife. We recommend you access your roof 3 times a year in Spring, Summer and Autumn to carry out few maintenance tasks.
Clear away debris
If any fallen leaves, rubbish or dead plants then you need to remove these items, especially from the drip system at the edge of the roof panels. It is very important that sedum plants have access to 100% sunlight.
Water your Roof
Your roof may be low maintenance but every so often it does need a drink! If you are experiencing a drought or lucky enough to be in heatwave then please ensure you water your roof every so often; although Sedum is very hardy and rarely fails, a heatwave and no water means you may end up with droopy, dull and unhappy plants.
Feed your roof
Please ensure you feed you sedum roof when we have hot weather as your plants begin to grow.
We recommend using Enviromat Natural Green Roof Feed at a rate of 85gs per m2. (Remember this must be watered with 24hrs of application). This is a slow release formula and contains all the nutrients that a sedum roof needs.
Check your roof
If there are any areas that are large than A4 piece of paper where the vegetation has disappeared, then you will need to break some small pieces of existing plants and press them into the growing medium on the bare area. This is provided that the air temperature is above 6 degrees and you are not experiencing a drought. Smaller areas with often just re-vegetate themselves once the plants have been fed and started their growth spurt.
Sedum roof during Autumn and Winter
Please remove all fallen leaves and twigs within 2 weeks as these can suffocate your plants. Unblock any surrounding gutters / ensure all the draining outlets are working well. Please do not feed the sedum roof during the winter.
A circular garden building in Kent “Roundel”
….Ah the circle! Our favourite topic! Need us not make any further introduction & let’s dive straight into the reasons why a circular garden building is superior to it’s square contemporaries!
Thermal dynamics – A lesser known fact about round garden buildings is that warm air circulates naturally around the inner perimeter of the building. It rises up to the roof light dome and drops down again in a column in the centre of the building before circulating back round again.
Better communication – people interact better when seated in a circle – it’s been cited by psychologists in multiple research studies globally that, people (children in particular) interact more with eachother whilst seated in a circle. Ultimately, it’s a better social dynamic
Aesthetics – being in a circular garden building looks and feels nothing short of amazing.
Thermal efficiency – Cheap to run! Environmentally driven folk may be aware that where you have corners and joints you have more energy leakage. A circular garden building has less external surface area which means that less warmth escapes out of the building – keeping you warm!
Maximised natural daylight – The double glazed polycarbonate roof-light is positioned to capture the sun as it moves across the sky over the course of the day.
This list is not exhaustive, there are a number of intangible elements which also come into play – but for now let’s just say that it feels more natural and certainly looks a lot more impressive than the box.
……………After all, who wants to be square?! Not we!
Our summer 2018 installation slots are almost completely booked up. Call us now if you’d like to arrange a non-obligation site survey at your property if you’d like to learn more about the benefit of the round!
An early intervention project is underway in Salford (North West England) tomorrow and it’s a rather splendid example of how a City Council and a well-known community charity can come together to support the well-being of school children with mental health issues.
The workshop model called “Mindsteps” is an early intervention, school based series of workshops aimed at young people who have expressed a need for support or have been referred for low level mental health issues such as depression, anxiety by a school, youth worker, parent or social worker.
This course is specifically designed for those young people who are displaying negative behaviours which are often linked to low self-esteem and lack of resilience including anti-social behaviour, low level drug and alcohol use or are offending/ at risk of offending.
Schools often report that a significant majority of young people who are at the risk of underachieving face complex well-being issues, but fall below the threshold for CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. CAMHS are the NHS services that assesses and treat young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties).
The first of such workshops is being delivered tomorrow by the Groundwork MSSTT charity (Groundwork Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford Ltd.) as part of a wider project to address mental health issues with our young people.
A group of young people from inner-city Salford will be experiencing activities such as;
- Barefoot Walking
- Building Shelters
- Fire Making (with the mandatory hot chocolate & marshmallows of course!)
- Natural Paint Making
- Meditation
Through exploration, activity based, experiential learning and one to one/group discussion; young people will learn to identify triggers, factors and indicators of their own mental health & well-being needs, and indeed, that of their peers. Areas covered include:
- Brain Chemicals – What they are and how they can affect your mood
- Maslow’s Hierarchy – What do you need to feel good?
- Attachment Assessment – To gain a basic understanding of the young persons attachment style in order to best respond to their individual needs.
Essentially, the activities in the workshops are designed to give young people the tools to deal with stressful situations themselves in with “achievement coaching” (based on a tried and tested Groundwork model)by a qualified/experienced youth worker and by positive experiences, using the outdoor environment as a therapeutic tool to improve their well-being.
We’ve blogged in the past about the ‘Forest Schools’ concept, adopted by an ever-increasing number of Schools all over the UK. This could be the next step towards alleviating our young people from some of the mental health issues they may be facing, by using the natural environment and therapeutic outdoor activities to assist them with their understanding of their own well-being / challenges and the road to recovery.
To Groundwork MSSTT and NHS Salford Health Innovation Fund (total fund of £250,000.00 available, for such projects – apply here), we salute you. That’s one fabulous project. Forest school – amplified!
If any of our website viewers know of other groundbreaking new initiatives such as this one, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and let us know; we love to spread positive news about how we can best serve our school children.
Schools often report that a significant majority of young people who are at the risk of underachieving face complex well-being issues, but fall below the threshold for CAMHS (
WHAT IS AN OUTDOOR MODULAR CLASSROOM?
It’s an extension to your existing school, but a stand-alone outdoor modular building which has more in common with the landscape and trees surrounding it than the traditional bricks and mortar building which your pupils may usually associate with the school classroom. You may be considering extending your current building or re-modelling an existing space but there are at least 10 REASONS why an outdoor modular classroom is better & more beneficial for your school.
1) It looks great
Let’s cut to the chase here. There are another 9 reasons to go so please don’t judge us for being quite so fickle from the outset but quite simply, many people find the rustic charm of a timber-framed modular building waaaaaay more attractive than a brick building or it’s contemporaries. Practicality doesn’t have to mean a compromise on beautiful aesthetics. With an outdoor modular classroom you have a beautiful piece of modular contemporary architecture, fashioned in the style of a log cabin or woodsmans shed. It’s outdoorsy.
2) You’re, indoors, outdoors!
This requires little explanation, but let’s just say that anyone who doesn’t agree that children spending more time surrounded by nature is both necessary and beneficial is probably so disconnected from the natural world that there is little hope left for them.
3) It’s filled with natural light
Oh, the roof-light dome and the 360 degrees windows (if you so wish) wrapped around the building! That, can’t be achieved with any other type of building. Creativity, imagination and inspiration thrive in a light-filled, inspiring environment.
4) Children learn first hand what can be built and achieved from natural resources.
At last, a building which children can identify with! The natural world which we try so hard to teach them about can actually visibly benefit them – the lightly oiled exposed timbers in the roof and the rough-sawn British cladding wrapping around the exterior, this building has more of the intrinsic qualities of a boat than that of a typical classroom. Your pupils can see the knots and twists within the timber which forms their classroom, and they can relate to the twists and knarls of the trees surrounding them.
outdoor modular classroom
5) A celebration of unique shape
Now, who wouldn’t want to learn and teach in a big, round, warm hug all day?! The circular form of one particular timber-framed modular outdoor classroom we know of feels like a big embrace, it’s walls wrap around you in a way that no other building can. This type of construction is only possible due to the advances within timber-framed manufacturing processes.
6) Encouraging a passion for the natural world
Your students are the next generation. We’re living in the Anthropocene period, one of unprecedented devastation of the natural world. This isn’t a plea to sell a product, this is a genuine, visceral, heart-tugging longing and pleading to see children engaged and supported in wooden, natural, low-impact buildings which inspire a connection to each other and the natural world. It feels like we’re running out of time to turn our civilisation around. On a practical level, features such as the green, natural, sedum roofs have a number of environmental benefits as well as encouraging bees and insects.
7) Cost benefits
Have a chat with us about the cost of installing a modular outdoor classroom – we promise you that it’s much, much more affordable than a brick-built extension.
8) Energy Saving
Being a high-energy saving building, utilising a modular circular timber-framed classroom may save your overall energy costs. The circular footprint is the most energy efficient (less exterior surface area than a rectilinear building) and is a heavily insulated eco-building – the requirement for heating
9) Unique space for out of hours events
This building is a wonderful social space. Who wouldn’t want an iconic eco-building for use on fund-raising days, staff events, school awards ceremonies or to lease out to local yoga or adult-education groups?
10) Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility!
Ok, so, it really is the MOST flexible option for a school, this type of modular timber classroom can be installed like a giant piece of flat-pack furniture, in about 10 days! It can be leased and returned after 5-10 years, it can be re-located if you so wish and it can be installed in a remote woodland location and run off a generator.
Really, it’s super-flexible.
And this list is not exhaustive…….!
If you’re considering a modular building for your outdoor classroom you can’t possibly benefit your school more than utilising a contemporary, ecologically friendly and responsibly constructed Roundhouse by Rotunda.
Call us today for your free non-obligation site survey and discover yet another myriad of reasons why a timber modular classroom would benefit your school.
New analysis by the Local Government Association estimates that it will cost £12 billion to create sufficient places for the 900,000 extra pupils expected to start school in the next decade.
Combine this with the recent doubling of the 15 hours free childcare (up to 30) scheme set to roll out this September, a greater number of schools are also volunteering to take on nursery children thus pushing the requirement for more practical space and new or updated buildings…
According to Nursery World Magazine “Schools have turned to innovative solutions to cope with demands on space. They include a primary school in Northumberland that has bought and converted a double decker bus into classroom, after running out of space in the school building, with toilets and cupboards converted into teaching spaces.”
For those Schools who need something a little more substantial however, perhaps a new building or extension is in order?!
But alas! The traditional method of creating new or extending existing buildings (with bricks and mortar) is costly, time-consuming and… well.. messy.
Schools and nurseries are a hotbed of activity, filled with bright young things which don’t quite care for their school to be turned into a 12 month long building site.
Thankfully, for many of us, technology has allowed the construction industry to smarten up it’s act. Partly fueled by the wanton admiration of the Scandinavian folks and their “Vorsprung Durch Technik” approach to their buildings. Flat-pack is not limited to the stores of IKEA.. oh but building techniques of precision engineered laminated timbers are now pretty commonplace, and it’s easy to see why.
This new style of building is designed and constructed in a factory, not on a building site, and the components are engineered, not ‘built’.
Moving more into the realms of ‘manufacturing’ than ‘construction’, Modular or Outdoor buildings for schools are now created in small segments or ‘cassettes’ which come together to form the whole on site.
Exactly like IKEA.
What’s more, at roughly £1,000-1,2000.00 per m2, a modular or prefabricated educational building or classroom may be much more affordable than a portakabin or a traditional building.
Win-Win!
So if you, or a school you know is struggling with space, considerate of budget and is looking for a fast, efficient installation, please do let them know – the future is here. All you need to do, is design it.
(And call us, we’ll design it with you!!)
New Permitted Development Rules – changes as of 2016
If you’re planning on extending your home by installing a garden room it may now be possible for you to build to a much larger size than was previously possible due to a recent change in planning legislation.
Permitted Development guidelines now state that:
Providing that the total area covered by your new buildings does not exceed 50% of the total area within the curtilage of the garden, you can build to any floor area. (This 50% should take into account any other garden sheds/outbuildings you may already have).
Below is the full list of caveats found on www.planningportal.co.uk
- No outbuilding on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation.
- Outbuildings and garages to be single storey with maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof or three metres for any other roof.
- Maximum height of 2.5 metres in the case of a building, enclosure or container within two metres of a boundary of the curtilage of the dwellinghouse.
- No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
- No more than half the area of land around the “original house”* would be covered by additions or other buildings.
- In National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres.
- On designated land* buildings, enclosures, containers and pools at the side of properties will require planning permission.
- Within the curtilage of listed buildings any outbuilding will require planning permission.
*The term “original house” means the house as it was first built or as it stood on 1 July 1948 (if it was built before that date). Although you may not have built an extension to the house, a previous owner may have done so.
These new changes also apply to single-storey rear extensions that are due to be completed by 30 May 2019 (see the associated neighbour consultation scheme).
This means that you may now build single storey extensions without planning permission, providing that:
- The extension does not sit forward of the principal elevation.Materials should be similar.
- Where it is within 2m of any boundary, the eaves cannot be higher than 3m, and no more than 4m in height otherwise.
- Rear extensions — no more than 4m in depth (detached house) or 3m in depth (semi-detached or terrace).
- Side extensions — the width of the extension must not be greater than half the width of the original dwelling. Side extensions are not permitted on Article 1(5) Land (e.g. AONB, Conservation Areas).
It’s definitely worth keeping in mind that the above criteria apply to the physical structure and location of a garden room or extension but the ‘intended use’ is a critical component when it comes to compliance.
When it comes to outbuildings, the use should always be ‘incidental’ to that of the home, ie: home office/art studio/music room etc.
Unfortunately Garden rooms under permitted development cannot be used for commercial B&B purposes neither can they be used as granny annexes or residential accommodation!
Please do give us a call or pop over to the planning portal if you have any questions on this subject, although we don’t claim to know it all, we have several decades worth of experience with the Local Authorities and we can certainly try to assist you where we can.
It was with much glee that we checked back on our client in Derbyshire to see how she was getting along with her new site of ‘Glamping units’ (AKA Rotundas!) on her idyllic site in the beautiful Derbyshire Dales National Park.
Not only has she set a precedent for a planning approval in a National Park for 3x lodge units as an alternative tourism destination, but she’s taking bookings faster than you can say ‘Roundhouse’ and is setting the trend for the new style of luxury-escapes (conied the “Four Seasons Lodge” by travel agents) style demand seen on the rise in the UK.
They’ve only really been up and running since April but are already booked up on all three units every weekend and have amassed some wonderful testimonials!
Here are two of them:
❝ Peaceful, comfortable, cosy; the roundhouse ticked all the boxes for a relaxing short break immersed in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside. We had taken hot water bottles and extra thick jumpers, but didn’t need any of them, as the underfloor heating keeps the roundhouse pleasantly warm all the time. Tamsyn’s warm welcome and the complimentary homemade bread and cookies, plus milk and butter in the fridge, made our stay even more special. We look forward to a return visit. ❞
❝ The roundhouse was just amazing!!! It had everything we could have ever wanted in it and made us feel like we had properly escaped everything for a couple of days (which was the plan). The whole place was spotless, the bed was so comfortable, the underfloor heating was lovely to wake up to, home-made biscuits and freshly baked bread to greet us and in general the site is so peaceful it felt like we were there alone 🙂 All just perfect! Pam was such a great host and cant recommend this place enough. We cant wait to book to go again 🙂 If you’re looking and considering the roundhouses to stay then get it booked straight away because you wont be disappointed. ❞
So if you’re thinking about installing a Rotunda in your garden or school please head over to her website (http://www.netherfarmroundhouses.co.uk/accomodation.html) and book yourself a couple of nights to see for yourself how the Roundhouse feels before you jump in!
………..Have you been thinking about whether you should buy a yurt for your school or nursery?
Could this be the quick-fix solution you’ve been looking for for the additional space requirements for the 30 hours free childcare scheme?
…………STOP RIGHT THERE!
It’s a romantic idea alright, and if you DO buy a yurt, it’s certainly going to be cost-effective, eco-friendly and the children will love it….. providing it’s not winter (which, in the UK seems perpetual) and providing that you don’t need insulation, or electrics, or a washbasin…. needless to say this probably wouldn’t comply with any buildings regulations or codes of practice usually required for commercial establishments.
It’s a tent.
Essentially made up of garden trellis, canvas and supporting lightweight roof poles with a pretty wooden crown at the top upon which rests a clear plastic sheet for a rooflight.
Wonderful for a night away with loved ones, sitting around a campfire and drinking wine, but, it’s suitability as a classroom or nursery environment is somewhat questionable.
A lightweight and temporary structure is of course easier to sneak under the radar of the local planners without giving too much consideration to seeking planning approval (though, I must warn you, planning approval must still be sought if you buy a yurt for a school or childcare business), and of course it’s assembled in a jiffy and can be a magical space for storytelling…. but it’s not a classroom for a school. Or if it is, it’s an ‘outdoor classroom’ and one which is seasonal.
With the average cost of a yurt coming in at around £10,000.00 plus the additional funds required to lay the groundworks/decking, source furniture and prepare the site you may be looking at around about £15,000.00 for the whole kit and caboodle.
Considering that a modular, timber-framed classroom building would cost you at least double that, you are indeed making a wonderful saving. But of course, these are the reasons it’s half the price of a timber school building:
- It can only really be used for part of the year, in the summer months – for it’s not insulated and the walls are…… canvas
- Heating options are limited – open flame is dangerous in a canvas structure, you may not have electricity for alternative options
- The canvas needs re-proofing, tightening and regular maintenance
- Mould and mildew has been known to creep up the walls
- There are no windows
- Condensation issues can arise
- God forbid you face gale force winds…. A yurt can be (at best), flappy and wobbly and (at worst), prone to flying away!
Now, I’m sure you know what’s coming but, indulge me for a moment and allow me to list a whole ream of benefits to be made by investing more into a permanent, timber-framed school building which is designed for the purpose you’re seeking. For really, there is no comparison.
Timber-framed, eco-friendly, Buildings Regulations compliant Roundhouses are….
- Insulated, Insulated, Insulated!! The walls are over 25cm thick.
- Finished internally with primed and painted internal wall linings, architraves, cover trims and high-spec detailing, behind which are damp-proof membranes & service cavity.
- Provided with large, Argon filled, low-e, toughened, double-glazed windows – from treated softwood to UPVC or powder coated aluminium, all windows are high-performance.
- Feature a gorgeous double glazed polycarbonate (or glass on request) 90cm diameter rooflight dome in the cathedral roof
- Include Full electrics, unlimited double-sockets, smoke detectors, GU10 LED lighting systems on a dual array with dimmer switches as standard
- Can be intergrated with ethernet ports, underfloor heating, interactive whiteboards, InfraRed heating panels, combi-boilers and bathroom/w/c, kitchen facilities
- Designed to have a lifespan which would probably exceed that of most of us reading this blog
- British designed, british built, utilising british timber and a nurturing yet practical building.
buy a yurt
So, good luck with your expansion, and please, do still buy a yurt for your school, but make sure it’s a timber-framed one, a permanent one and a beautiful one.
Called, ‘Rotunda‘.
Enjoy this wet, windy weather!!
So really, let’s get to the bones of it.
In his new book The Nurture Effect: How the Science of Human Behavior Can Improve Our Lives and Our World, Psychologist Anthony Biglan describes how interventions aimed at creating nurturing environments could help solve some of society’s most stubborn, harmful, and costly issues. Crime, delinquency, depression, and heart disease are often, he explains, the outcomes of environments that fail to promote well-being.
According to Biglans research, we have the capacity to increase increase societal well-being by creating environments that minimize socially and biologically harmful conditions, teach and promote prosocial behavior, limit destructive behaviors, and support individuals in pursuing their values.
By cultivating compassionate, positive, nurturing environments we can raise the standards of living, improve cognitive development in our chidren, increase education, reduce violence and prevent crime.
“Anthony Biglan pulls out the common threads to show that it is possible to make families, schools, and the larger social context more nurturing and ultimately to create nurturing environments so vital to well-being and to preventing widespread harm” Lisbeth B.Schorr senior fellow at the centre for the Study of Social Policy
Within the framework of this book, Biglan calls for a public health movement akin to the smoke-free campaign of the last 50 years. He suggests the science behind nurturing environments could drive a similar shift in public health and well-being.
Mental health is a hot-topic in the media at the moment; The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are spearheading the Heads Together campaign to end stigma around mental health and there’ve been articles spinning around in the press about the importance of recognising the importance of addressing mental health issues on a national level.
“Through our work with young people, emergency response, homeless charities, and with veterans, we have seen time and time again that unresolved mental health problems lie at the heart of some of our greatest social challenges.”
In the recent podcast with Prince Harry, he openly states that it became blindingly obvious to him through work with war veterans that “even if it was a small problem in your youth, something (Afghanastan, in a lot of these cases) was the trigger for these issues to come forward”.
It would seem this topic is also well on trend with other researchers (coming up with the same conclusions and implications of childhood wellbeing (or lack of it):
Childhood adveristy and mental health problems The British Journal of Psychiatry (2012)
Many researchers are now exploring the mechanisms and processes by which events in childhood can lead to mental health problems years later. For example, in an attempt to generate a genuinely integrated psycho-socio-biological approach,3 the traumagenic neurodevelopmental model9 of psychosis (proposed by J.R. and colleagues) draws on the evidence that the biochemical and structural abnormalities found in people diagnosed with schizophrenia, which have often been portrayed as evidence of a ‘brain disease’, are also found in the brains of traumatised children.
Recent studies have demonstrated that a wide range of adversities, and not just sexual abuse, are predictors of many forms of mental ill health. Some of these adversities have been shown to be
I don’t know whether you caught it, but Radio4 Womans hour recently interviewed Countess Bathurst, the former High Sheriff of Gloucestershire who is one of the founders of the WI group at HMPrison Eastwood Park. Sarah claimes that “before I started work as high sheriff I was old-school. I really believed that if somebody was in prison, they’d done something wrong, that’s where they needed to be. But, I have been so re-educated and I have learnt so much about the larger picture, about the background of these women, what they’ve gone through and the challenges that they’ve faced throught their lives which have led them down this enormous mentally destructive path. Nobody wants to go to prison, sometimes they find themselves on this dreadful rollercoaster ride, it’s rather like gong down the bob sleigh, your going down faster and faster, there’s no brakes and there’s no way of getting out of it until you spin out of control and that’s what happens. For most women, going into prison is a huge shock. Many of them go in for a first offence, a third of women in prison have spent time in care as a child.”
And she speaks about this subject at the same time that The British Medical Association have published a report on the vital role doctors have to play in preventing vulnerable children and young people ending up in custody Young lives behind bars: The health and human rights of children and young people detained in the criminal justice system, sets out how doctors can recognise risk factors for future offending and seize the opportunity to intervene.
Writing in the Foreword to the report, Juliet Lyon, Director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: “The Prison Reform Trust commissioned a study of children in prison to learn more about the 6,000 children who went into some form of custody in the six months from July to December in 2008. Many had unmet mental health needs or a learning disability or difficulty. A depressingly familiar story for health and justice professionals and others who care for vulnerable young people.”
Imagine if, through the simple act of nurturing our young we could actually obliterate crime and even remove the requirement for a prison system altogether? Could we manage to create a new, crime-free and compassionate, loving society in just one generation?
The future of our society is now firmly in our hands; whether we’re nursery nurses, school govenors, mothers, classroom builders, teachers, headmasters, doctors, nannies and childcare workers.
Make no mistake about it, the early years childcare arena is the most critical for creating a well-balanced, caring, compassionate, prosocial, happy, productive society.
If you’re a school or nursery, and you’re looking to implement a new learning, sensory or functional action zone environement, please speak to us, we are incredibly passionate about how we can be of service to you, to create your physical nurturing space.
We can’t alleviate all of the worlds problems in one day, but cocooning children in a warm and protective timber-framed Roundhouse is a good place to start.
intergenerational, so that parents who themselves suffered in childhood struggle to provide an optimum environment for their own children.
Grant Funding to improve your local green space from Tesco – just a little way in which you may be able to secure additional funds to form part of your Rotunda project:
Bags of Help is Tesco’s local community grant scheme where the money raised from the 5p bag levy in Tesco stores is being used to fund thousands of community projects across the UK. The projects must meet the criteria of promoting community participation in the development and use of outdoor spaces.
Bags of Help is administered by Groundwork and supported in Scotland by greenspace Scotland, have local Enablers across the country who can assist you with your application form.
Bags of Help is now is always open to applications from community projects.
Groundwork assesses all of the applications received to ensure they are eligible. This is followed up by Tesco shortlisting groups who decide which projects go forward to the in-store vote.
Three local community projects will be voted on in Tesco stores each month across Tesco regions throughout England, Scotland and Wales. In each region, the project that received the most votes from all stores in their region will receive a grant of up to £5,000. The second placed project receives up to £2,000 and third placed up to £1000. Every year, over 7000 projects will receive funding through this scheme.
Local Enabler for the Greater Manchester region, Liz Edwards said “this is a great opportunity for schools and community groups to take forward projects which will enhance their green spaces and find creative ways to increase their use of these”
Examples of the kind of projects groups can obtain funding for include improvements to playgrounds, paying for specialist training and support such as a Forest School Leader to work with your group, installing raised beds and seating to allow your group to grow food crops, buying in plants and seating and installing new paths to improve access to your site.
For more details and to check your project/group is eligible please check the location of your nearest Tesco store and complete the eligibility checker www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme/pages/Category/apply-for-a-boh-grant-tes2 and don’t forget to request help from your local enabler.
(Philip Kay with his feline friend in a Tibetan Singing Bowl along with Joanna Hayes our project manager and all round miracle worker)
Meet the MD of Rotunda Roundhouses
This week we are blogging about Philip Kay, the Managing Director of Rotunda Roundhouses Ltd and his views on our product, clients and the industry in general.
So, Philip. Could we ask a little bit about your background?
Well, generally I’ve spent the last 39 years building properties or within property refurbishment (from age of 21) together with manufacturing furniture and cabinetry.
And how long have you been acting as Managing Director for Rotunda Roundhouses Ltd?
“Two years – and it’s flown by!”
Philip with our little 4yr old mascot “Esmee”
What is it that you believe your company can bring to the industy that no other business can?
No one else is building roundhouses for a start, they don’t understand the concept of how beneficial they are for both educational purposes and how economical they are to run.
When you say “Roundhouse” what do you mean?
“Buildings for schools, hospice, the leisure sector (hotels), granny flats and recently, nurseries”
Why a roundhouse over a rectangle?
“…..well, a lot of this is down to aesthetics to a lot of people. The roundhouse is a very unusual form in the modern construction marketplace and as far as I am aware we are the only people that exclusively build in the round. However, it can’t be denied that the majority of our clients are quite spiritual and see the circle as the most natural form.”
When you say “Spiritual” Are you saying it’s a metaphyscical or energetic attraction for some folk?
“I think that some people feel a connection to the past, to how ancient civilisations lived.. so, we’re very much interested in bringing this back into the forefront.”
So.. history is coming back round again?
Definitely. Absolutely.”
Is there a particular build over the last 2 years which you’ve enjoyed the most?
“Well, that’s difficult to say, because all of our buildings are so different that each build has it’s own different aspect that you derive a certain amount of pleasure from building. The fact that we don’t build two that are any alike it’s really great to get them on the drawing board and see how they develop.”
And what is the most bespoke element to date which has been incorporated into a Rotunda?
“Well, we’ve made bespoke furniture for several of our clients, we have changed timber species for cladding, the cathedral roof beams and windows and we’ve recently been looking into Oak and Sweet Chestnut as alternative British Hardwoods for our walls and roof finishes.
So, do you give clients a standard build specification or do they have carte blanche to design a Rotunda exactly to their vision?
“Well, there’s a guideline build spec with our standard finishes and prices, but at the end of the day we are flexible and do allow our clients to adjust their building design to suit their particular needs.”
Of all of the applications what’s your favorite finish?
“….for me personally, I like the Eco-tiles Flexi slate composite roof, when I see them (and being a past builder) I think they look identical to a slate roof. On the inside I love the T&G wall panels. Our new internal cathedral beams look absoutely beautiful, they are what people most recognise about the Rotunda.”
As an organisation where do you think you’re going and where is the industry going over the next five years?
“As a young company we are able to go where the industry starts to lead us. In other words, if it’s the glamping industry that’s bringing us the most enquiries we can work very well here; but we’re currently responding to a surge in enquiries for Nursery Buildings alongside work we’ve already completed for commercial clients such as a hospice and Primary schools….. So, because we are a young company we’ll respond to the enquiries that come through rather than dictate the direction of the company or the application of the product. (As long as we have the capacity in the workshop to build it!)
Does this mean that you provide a tailored response to the enquiries that you receive? Ie: if someone doesn’t quite know what they want or how to go about the planning process do you manage the project as a turnkey for them?
“Well, considering I’ve been building houses since I was 21 (that’s 40 years!) I can certainly give them all the advice they’re going to need. We can assist with groundworks and we do assist with the complete process from groundworks all the way to the furniture and even the creation of bespoke windows and doors.”
Are there any exciting projects that you’re currently working on?
“Well, we’ve got several exciting projects in the pipeline and one of the most unique ones is a bespoke roundhouse with a Japanese flavour; you’ll notice that the roof shape is changing, and a deep, round, japanese bath is being installed….. the door frames will be created with japanese frames above and around them. Coupled with bamboo floors with subtle interior design and fabrics – this should be a very special building and we’re all very excited to see the end result.
So, a Japanese Rotunda! Will this then be available to other clients?
“Well, of course, we love the fact that each building is unique so, in some form or other – if we can build it and you can imagine it, there is no reason why we can’t build others.”
And what about the materials? Do you have a sustainability policy?
“Well, we are very proud of the fact that our timber comes from verifiable UK sustainable sources and sawmills. We source recycled and part-recycled materials whenever possible and we are using the sedum (green) roof application on most of our builds nowadays.
Thank you so much Philip!!! It’s been really lovely talking to you, I hope that our blog readers find this useful and look forward to hearing more about the progress of Rotunda over the coming few months and years.
“Well, I’m always on the end of the line – if anyone has any specific questions about our previous work, we always pass the details of our previous 6 clients over to new enquirers so they can verify the quality of our work and our professionalism as an organisation. I’m only too happy to help!”
If you were to drive for 1hr 30 mins from Montpellier or Nîmes and deep into the Cevennes Mountains, you may just stumble across Gardoussel; a small, family-run retreat specialising in creative and holistic holidays. Husband-and-wife team Alex and Sharon live on-site with their young family and are helped in the day-to-day running of events, particularly cooking, by Alex’s mother Frances.
Up until recently they had Gites and Yurts on offer to their guests… until last week! When the Rotunda team arrived. The first of such expeditions, the Rotunda and three of our men bravely ventured where no other installer from the UK has before. Despite a few initial hiccups with the British haulage agency everyone arrived on site last week , ready to start building the first French Rotunda “Gaia”.
The retreat is so remote that the panels had to be transferred on the main road from the arctic vehicle to a small trailer in order to make the journey down the small driveway to “Gardoussel”.
And here comes the team…… Over the bridge and towards their final destination. (After three days of travelling!) Our Rotunda van is in uncharted territory!
… Our Joiner (Johnny) is clearly enjoying the novelty of being so far from home and has made a new friend already!
This garden room is going to be used as a yoga space and gathering room & it should not cause too much of a stir within the local community as this special building is of a striking similarity to a pre-existing local building in the round called the “pigeon tower”.
Look at that ‘witches hat’ roof…. magnifique! We love it!
So, once “landed” the floor panels are assembled and affixed onto the prepared concrete slab which Alex and Sharon had kindly prepared in advance!
And of course…. stepped back to have a look at the view! Oh wow…. what a position for that bell tent!
So the build is underway… the roof trusses are next to go up, after the wall panels are positioned and secured:
… Oh… did we mention the VIEW!?
And… voila! The building is watertight… and ready for some internal work…
You’re almost there guys…. keep up the good work and have fun with your new friends at Gardoussel!
We’ll update you again… when the gorgeous “Gaia” is complete!
Until then, bonsoir!
From all at Rotunda
x
7 reasons why a garden room is better than a house extension
- At July 07, 2016
- By Chloe Williamson
- In Uncategorized
0
Ah, the garden building…… or is it, garden room?
To many, the image of a garden room conjures up childhood images of a simple shed: functional, practical and full of all that garden equipment that quite simply has nowhere else to go. A space for wasps to nest and barbecues to hide. But thank heavens (!), for that is no longer the case! In recent years, garden rooms have evolved into an extension of the home, a new place to work, play, relax and embrace nature. A beautiful and functional environment to call your own.
In today’s blog post we’re going to outline the 7 reasons why, you should lean towards the garden room rather than an extension.
1 – Your own space
Unlike an extension, it’s a completely separate space, a home away from home. Psychologically, you can separate yourself from your day-to-day stressful and busy household. This is a room to escape into, to pick up a book and settle down with a cup of tea, practice yoga, write, create or dream. With no interruptions and the garden surrounding you, it’s your space; so you can utilise it as a stress-free zone!
2 – A work space
There are now over 4.2 million people working from home in the UK. Research has shown that it’s important to have a separate space to work in, it encourages better sleep, better health and overall improved efficiency. By making the most of a garden room ensures that you are able to separate your home life from your work life.
3 – For entertaining
Now, working and relaxing are important, but let’s not forget that play is super important too! A garden room can be an amazing place to entertain friends, away from the house. You can roll out the barbecue and in the summer rain, still hold an amazing event (of course, a BBQ isn’t British if we’re not sheltering from the rain!). It’s also a great place to spend a relaxed evening (and, a well insulated garden room is practically soundproof – so, a bonus for the neighbours too!).
4 – Being outdoors
An extension is just that, an extension of your home, more bricks, cement and concrete = less garden. A garden room however is an element of your garden; you can enjoy being outside whilst spending time inside a functional and contemporary environment. Just being able to walk down the garden path to access your beautiful garden room is an enjoyable way to reach your building.
5 – Avoidance of Planning
Nobody likes the hassle and stress of obtaining full planning approval, it’s costly and timely. Fortunately, most garden rooms fall under the guidelines of permitted development (Unless you require plumbing), meaning that you can build without requiring planning permission and can be built more efficiently than a traditional brick and block extension! A garden room is a straightforward alternative to what can be an otherwise complicated affair.
6 – Aesthetics
The unobtrusive, circular footprint of these garden rooms sit beautifully within the natural environment. The inescapable prevalence of curves, spirals, twists and turns of the trees and vegetation in your garden is a beauty of nature. Natural form is complimentary and a garden room should of course work within the laws of nature to sit sympathetically within this scene. In simple terms, a round garden building looks nothing short of amazing. (And, we all want amazing.)
7 – Sustainablity
Timber framed Garden rooms are more sustainable than a traditional brick and block structure. When buying a garden room from a reputable garden building manufacturer you can be assured that they will work with sawmills and timber suppliers who are committed to sustainable ethics and clearly display that their timber is FSC and PEFC certified (FSC and PEFC, the two organisations together accounting for some 98% of the world’s certified forests and chain of custody certificates). 
Coming round to the self-build revolution
- At July 05, 2016
- By Chloe Williamson
- In Uncategorized
- 0
Well, it’s got to be said, we’re a handy bunch, us Brits. This year our installations team have been assisting a small group of independently minded self-builders in the UK, erecting Rotundas in their UK gardens, at a more relaxed and informal pace than usual. We’ve assisted folks with a ‘Healing Space’ Rotunda for psychotherapy in Northumberland, a ‘retreat’ in Wales called ‘Hiraeth’ (a beautiful welsh word which roughly translates to ‘a homesickness, longing, for a home you cannot return to’) and a therapy room called “Flo” in Glastonbury with adorable little gothic windows and an opening roof-light dome. Others due to be shipped out to their new sites include a classroom for a leading UK Conservation Charity in Yorkshire and a Yoga Room in Essex.
Why choose a self-build?
A self-build project is completely about you. Self-build garden rooms / extensions are a fantastic way to gain more space without the requirement for a traditional home extension and by purchasing the KIT for your own assembly, you dictate the pace of the job and can remain in full control of the final touches. The satisfaction of designing your own little building (with our team) and assisting with the build process can be hugely rewarding (it’s a minature ‘Grand Designs’ project in the bottom of your garden, after all)!
The Rotunda comes as a prefabricated modular building as pre-constructed panels which slot together similar to flat-packed furniture and are relatively straightforward to assemble. All we ask is that you provide a skilled builder or joiner to assist you with your self-build and that we can remain onsite to guide you all through the initial build process. Once the structural elements have been manoeuvred into place and signed off by our site manger, we can then leave you and your builder to start work on the second fix!
self-build rotunda
So who generally self builds?
EVERYONE! According to www.self-build.co.uk each year over 13,000 people undertake a self-build project each year from garden rooms to residential living accommodation! Whether it is a garden room, home-extension, playhouse, art studio, granny annexe or even holiday accommodation; a self-build Rotunda may just be the perfect solution for you.
Perhaps you run an ever-expanding charity or community organisation which needs another office or classroom ? A self-build Rotunda project could provide you with a fantastic opportunity to get the local community involved and include friends, relatives and sponsors whilst creating a new personalised space for therapy, office use, art rooms or commercial space. On the other hand, your eldest child who’s struggling to access the property ladder might find it beneficial to move to the end of the garden in their own new self-contained lodge (or perhaps, you would keep the kids in the house and move into the Rotunda yourself!) The possibilities are endless – you design it and you can be a part of building and constructing it.
“Hiraeth” A self-build in Wales
The best part!
You design, we manufacture, and you build (with our guidance)! Our design process may involve a site survey at your address and the creation of a 3D model to enable you to verify the design specification with us. You have the option to work with our in-house interior designer to help source soft furnishings and work on the space-planning and layout elements for you.
Get more for your money!
Not only are you saving when you decide to build your own garden room/extension/lodge/office, you are also purchasing an experience! A self-build project means embarking on relationship development between you and your loved ones. It’s time to invite friends and family round to join in the fun, perhaps with a persuasive BBQ on the go!
Scared you don’t have the DIY skills?
Don’t be! Our skilled carpenters have done all the work for you in the factory before arrival to site and furthermore we send you a little helping hand for the first 2/3 days to show you the ropes! And by this time you’ll have all the main structure up ready for you to add your finishing touches!
Think this may be an option for you?
I’m sure our team could chat to you forever about the endless list of advantages a self-build garden room can bring. We are available to guide you around a constructed Rotunda and discuss your vision further. You can even visit our factory so that you can see your own Rotunda come to life! Dig a little deeper into your potential project and have a chat with us to discuss your dream on 0161 222 3350.
Good luck with your project!
Eco-Retreats, Spiritual Tourism and Wellness
Following on from the previous blog; here is the third chapter in the four part blog about the concept of an eco-retreat and why it makes complete sense for you to become a part of it! So let’s look at the next trend ….
Part 3 – Spirituality
As quoted in the above article by Ben Bowler:
“Over the last 30 years there has been a revolution quietly happening in the global tourism industry. Terms such as eco-tourism, responsible tourism and even voluntourism have entered common usage. Now there is an emerging trend on the horizon that is being cited at the fastest growing sector in the whole travel business. They call it “spiritual tourism””.
Our last blogpost delved into the concept of glamping and eco-tourism trends emerging within the UK Staycation market; todays article is expanding on the importance of recognising Spiritualism as another key growth trend; focusing on how personal belief and the desire for a unique experience can drive holidaymakers to make decisions as to where to stay for their next holiday (your new eco-development, we should hope!).
So, why do we seem so sure that Spiritualism is an integral part of your offering on the eco-retreat for your guests’ holiday experience? Well, this ultimately comes down to looking at your client base. Suffice it to say that (and as a sweeping generalisation of course) your target audience (being interested in the outdoors and seek nature and adventure), may fall into the category of LOHAS consumers.
LOHAS is an acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. The term was coined by Gaiam (Nasdaq: GAIA), a highly successful media company known for producing yoga DVDs. The LOHAS marketplace comprises five key segments: sustainable economy, healthy lifestyles, alternative healthcare, personal development, and ecological lifestyles (Peterson 2008), and is inspired by the findings of Paul H. Ray’s (2000) book, The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People are Changing the World. Their main concern, as the label suggests, is creating a new culture based on values reflecting ecological sustainability, authenticity in personal and public life, women’s issues, looking at the bigger picture, and spirituality.
Spirituality is a core part of LOHAS and falls within its market segment of “personal development.”
Joseph Gelfer
In fact, anyone popping the keywords “Spiritualism UK” into google will unearth a plethora of information which supports our vision that Spiritualism is in fact a very tangible element which must be recognised as a key factor when deciding how you might set out your stall.
Research from Virgin Money recently cited that the new phenomenon called “Spiritual Spending” is one of Britain’s biggest growth industries as women (in particular) explore the hundreds of ways of feeling and looking better.
Their research suggests that three quarters of women are turning to Yoga, Acupuncture, Massage and alternative therapies to combat stress and fatigue and would rather spend money on cheering themselves up with a massage or yoga class rather than (or as well as) a bottle of wine or a chocolate bar. This new trend is costing them £670 million a year. Something to be taken seriously if you’re wondering how the spending habits of the UK public may affect the feasibility of your eco-retreat.
(Yobaba Lounge in France offers yoga, meditation and vegan food at a shabbychic village chateau)
Long-time travel industry observer and journalist Mr. Imtiaz Muqbil gave an interesting overview of a tourism industry in transition – moving from what he called the three “S”s of the old tourism – Sun, Sand and Sex towards what he sees as the emerging three “S”s in the new tourism being Serenity, Sustainability and Spirituality. (Ben Bowler – HuffPost)
So, if you’re looking for some inspiration, the “GoodRetreatGuideOnline” is a very good starting point for those looking to gather information on different types of retreats in the UK and the spiritual paths/elements such as Yoga, Mind-Body-Spirit and Buddhism.
We’ve also stubmled across Amy Garner’s site http://www.amygarner.co.uk/spiritual-retreat-in-the-uk/ this woman knows a thing or two about living authentically and with purpose and she’s listed 10 of the best spiritual retreats on her blog.
So, to conclude, evidence does lead us to suggest that Spiritualism in the UK is on the increase, and it’s a driving force which will soon be noticeable in most sectors of our economy, most notably; in the leisure sector. Therefore, don’t be afraid of embracing spiritual practices and promoting events and workshops to run alongside your offering of overnight accommodation. Beware, however the charlatans operating in this field and the psuedo-spiritual products and services which are driven by individuals looking to exploit the belief systems of (what is now) a very large part of the population. If you are genuine and you develop this side of your business with passion, integrity and authenticity you may find yourself in a very favourable position as the aforementioned trends continue to rise.
We’ll complete this blog with PART 4 – Eco-Therapy and Wellness, please do revisit our site for the next installment!
A Modular Building for Schools and Nurseries
If you’ve been wondering how to expand your school or nursery to accommodate growing class sizes, a modular building or classroom might be the most efficient way to provide a fast, efficient and beautiful new space for your nursery, play centre or preschool. Modular buildings for Schools and Nurseries are multifunctional rooms and can be the perfect art or creative space, reading room, staff room or sensory room.
The main benefits of building a circular modular building as opposed to a Brick and block built extension are:
Speed of Construction
Most prefabricated modular buildings come as pre-constructed panels (or sections) which are fitted together like flat-packed furniture, dramatically reducing the risk of weather delays and lengthy build time which ensures that you may be able to complete the install in 5-10days.
Energy-efficiency
Timber-framed buildings which are pre-fabricated to buildings regulations standards come with exceptionally high levels of insulation, argon filled double glazing and membranes to the internal and external wall linings. Furthermore, a circular modular building requires 30% fewer materials to build and acts as an energy-saving building throughout it’s lifetime (no corners for energy leakage!) but serves to illustrate how much more efficient the building in terms of materials requirement and embodied energy.
Less Disruption to your day to day activities
By investing in a building which arrives pre-fabricated, the majority of the fabrication and manufacturing is taken care of in a controlled factory environment away from your site. Your modular school classroom or eco-building can then be installed in as little as 5-10 days which can take place over a school holiday period eliminating any requirement for disruption to your usual working activities.
Cost Savings
A modular building is more efficient to build and to heat than traditional brick and block classroom and they come with a clear pricing structure which enables you to budget for your additional classroom without the worry of build-costs escalating on-site. Many builders will give a day 1 estimate or quote which can sometimes run out of control when lengthy delays and site complications arise. With a modular school building you can be rest assured that any build complications which arise with a prefabricated building will have already been addressed and ironed out prior to your building arriving on site.
Locally Sourced Timber
A few Modular Building manufacturers source their timber from within the UK for the buildings exterior which supports our British Woodlands and feeds much needed revenue into Woodland Regeneration Schemes. If your school or nursery is currently working towards incorporating Forest School teaching and are interested in outdoor and/or woodland education it’s reassuring to know that your new eco-classroom could assist you with explaining to children what type of trees we grow in the UK and how trees not only provide us with a beautiful habitat but how the timber from these trees can be used. (Larch turns a silvery colour over time – A beautiful example of nature changing).
So, consider the above benefits when contemplating how best to increase your available space at your School or Nursery and feel free to call us for an informal chat about whether a modular school building is a step in the right direction for you!
Planning Restrictions (for a Garden Room) in AONB’s
Garden Room :Photo: ALAMY
Your Garden Room = Planning Restrictions in AONB’s, National Parks & Conservation Areas
Many people choose to build a garden room rather than ebmark on a lengthy home extension due to the allocation of permitted development within most domestic gardens.
Within parameters of Permitted Development you can build your garden room without having to seek full planning approval, meaning that you can simply pass go and collect your £200.00 and it’s happy days all round! (…… and we know ’round’!!)
However If a garden room is going to used as a Granny Annexe or Guest Bedroom, it needs planning permission! Further information can be found on page 40 of the government document Permitted Development for Householders-Technical Guidance. – for England and Wales.
In some areas of the country, known generally as ‘designated areas’, permitted development rights are more restricted. If you live in a Conservation Area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Norfolk or Suffolk Broads, you may have to submit a planning application for work which normally does not need one. (There are also different requirements if the property is a listed building).
So, those of us who are fortunate enough to live in a National Park or an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the roll of the dice lands us squarely on ‘Chance’ where planning restrictions can change from local authority to another and become frustratingly unclear. Making use of Planning Consultants can become expensive and complications cause delays.
garden room as garden annexe
Given the nature of a modular garden room being in it’s essence not too dissimilar to a cabin, shepherds-hut or caravan, some homeowners decide to take the plunge and site their building temporarily in their chosen spot on the understanding that they can re-locate their building at any point should difficulties or restrictions arise at some point in the future. However, we strongly advise that advice is sought from your Local Authority before taking the plunge should you be planning on building your garden room in an AONB, National Park or Conservation Area.
To find your Local Authority you may use this link here via the Planning Portal: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/wps/portal/genpub_LocalInformation?docRef=LocalInformation&scope=202&langid=0
But what is the difference between an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a National Park?
As cited from www.naturenet.net
“National Parks are actually of equal importance to AONBs for landscape and scenic beauty, the difference is that AONBs exist for the purpose of conserving and enhancing their natural beauty. National Parks, in addition to this, have a second purpose – to promote understanding and enjoyment of the area’s special qualities by the public.
The designation usually covers a wide area and many types and uses of land. Not all parts of an AONB are necessarily open to the public. Towns and villages are sometimes included, and often small areas which are not at all beautiful get included too.”
“The Cotswolds” AONB Photo: GreenTraveller.com
Essentially, the local authorities have a legal duty under S85 Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to have regard to the purposes of the AONB in carrying out planning and other functions.
There are 47 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), 15 National Parks and more then 9,600 conservation areas designated in Britain.
You can find out if you live in an AONB by going to http://www.landscapesforlife.org.uk/.
Find out if you live in a conservation area by contacting your local planning authority (LPA). They will be able to tell you when it was created, how far it extends, the reason for its creation and the level of legal protection it has in place.
Although conservation areas mean some extra planning controls and considerations, these exist to protect the historic and architectural elements which make the place special. They are most likely to affect owners who want to work on the outside of their building or any trees on their property.
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Any Building Alterations may need Planning Approval
Your House
Being in a conservation area might mean that your house is affected by special controls (called ‘Article 4 Directions’), which restrict work you can normally do without planning permission such as replacing a door or window or altering gutters and downpipes.
These controls are tailored to each area by the council, and are put in place when there are particular elements of local buildings they want to protect.
Trees
If you want to cut down, top or lop any but the smallest of trees in a conservation area you must notify your local planning authority six weeks before work begins. The authority will then consider the contribution the tree makes to the character of the area and if necessary create a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) to protect it. Find out more about permission for work on trees.
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And if you live in a National park? Within a National Park planning applications are submitted to the national park authority as opposed to the Local Authority. Permitted Development still exists in National Parks for a garden room however the maximum area to be covered by buildings, enclosures, containers and pools more than 20 metres from house to be limited to 10 square metres.
What might harm your chances of receiving approval for your planning application for your garden room? If the proposed development might damage or harm the natural beauty and special qualities of the AONB, it may not be allowed, or it may need to be adapted. The type of building you specify, and the materials used will have a large impact on the success of your application and you’ll need the materials to blend in with the existing buildings as well as the surrounding area.
Ultimately, the first port of call is to discuss your project in detail with both the garden room Manufacturer AND your Local Authority.
If there is any doubt that you might not fall within the guidelines of Permitted Development then it’s wise to embark on the application process anyway.
We offer a full planning application service to our garden room clients from a flat rate of just *£650.00(+ Local Authority Fees) for the submission of your application, taking the pressure off you, and allowing you to focus on other things. *re-submissions and amendments may incur additional fees
With a well, crafted design and access statement, citing the benefits of an environmentally sympathetic design and circular footprint (which of course ties in with our cultural heritage; after all, the Roundhouse has been around since the Neolithic period) we have yet to encounter a problem receiving approval for a Rotunda garden room.
To date, we’ve secured a 100% success rate for our applications, gaining approval for clients in National Parks, with listed properties and within conservation areas.
Should you like to delve a little deeper into your particular project, please feel free to contact us or call directly on (0161) 2223350 and pop over to the Government’s Planning Portal website which is a good start for general information about all aspects of planning prior to moving ahead with your garden room project.
A Garden annexe; an affordable alternative to a home extension
Are you looking for additional space at your home to accommodate elderly relatives? Granny Annexes or Garden Annexes can be a logical and practical solution to enable you to increase your living space. There are numerous options available to you in respect of adding living accommodation and we’ve listed a few of these below:
1 – Traditional House Extension
2- Barn or Garage Conversion
3- Log Cabin or Modular Building
4- A custom-built Granny Annexe / Garden Annexe through a reputable Garden Room Manufacturer
The traditional home extension has been, historically, the first port of call for those looking to create additional space for a larger family. If you have the right budget and you’re not at all concerned about having builders on site for several months at a time and a building site (along with the scaffolding/mud/diggers and everything else that this entails!) at your property then this could be the right solution for you. However, there can be complications with the application for Planning Permission if you’re in a National Park or an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Achieving Planning Approval for a stand-alone building can be a simpler process.
If you have a disused outside building such as a garage or barn, a barn or garage-conversion can be a cost-effective way of making the most of what’s already there. This can, however require the material change of a building and you will have to meet and obtain building control approval, as many garages do not have adequate heating, insulation or fire safety routes.
Log Cabin and other softwood log-style garden building manufacturers are advertising their garden annexe range of structures in lieu of the traditional home extension but may not reach the levels of energy-efficiency or comfort that you may be seeking. The log-cabin doesn’t boast the same lifespan as that of architecturally designed modular buildings or contemporary Garden rooms and they may require treating/re-cladding after a period of 10 years. Log-Cabins vary widely in specification and shape, from the pitched roofs and a twee cottage style (not dissimilar to a large wendy-house) to the utilitarian box-like flat roofed timber porta-cabins which serve to provide a space albeit lacking much architectural charm.
Contemporary Garden Rooms and Custom-built Modular Buildings are designed and built to Buildings Regulations Standards and are visually captivating, depending on your tastes. With a wide array of Garden Room Manufacturers in the UK you’re sure to find a style of garden annexe which would suit your property and your grounds.
Our clients have been thrilled at not only the space a new Garden Annexe has allowed them but are impressed at the feeling of the space with the curved walls and open space of the cathedral roof structure.
To provide a bathroom for your relative, a radial extension is built out of the perimeter wall, which can be extended around the Rotunda at any point to create a jaw-dropping space with a pitched roof and fully integrated flooring and internal wall linings to complement the central space. Leaving the core of the building as a complete circle for the kitchenette and living area.
Feedback has shown us that, overall, a custom-built and sympathetically designed garden annexe or granny annexe in the round is more visually appealing to our clients and provides a more practical space for disabled relatives and wheelchair users. The smooth curved lines of the structure coupled with ramped or decked access from the garden is a calming and ergonomically sound application for such use.
For those who are firm believers that our mood and well-being is affected by our immediate environment, a circular and airy environment can provide an uplifting and refreshing alternative to the home extension or the garage conversion. There can be nothing quite as beautiful and well thought out as a well designed and beautifully handcrafted garden annexe for your relative or friend.
Ultimately, the core benefits of a stand-alone custom built garden annexe are:
- A smooth and efficient installation – averaging about 15 working days
- Less mess and disruption than a house-extension
- The addition of a multifunctional space which will evolve with you and your family over the next 40+ years
- An energy-efficient eco-building which doesn’t burden the household with additional heating requirements
- The practicality of a separate building which sits within your garden providing both privacy and independence for your relative (and you!)
- The peace of mind that Rotunda Garden Rooms are modular which means that they are permanent once installed but are also re-locatable* should you decide to move house (*with the assistance of our team)
- The addition of an aesthetically appealing and innovative garden annexe which works to serve a practical purpose, can increase your property valuation and most importantly will wow your friends and family and bring a smile to the faces of those who make use of it
Besides, who said that getting old meant forgoing exciting spaces and incredible design?! For the young and old alike, there is joy to be sought in the round. Please call us if you’d like to arrange a free site survey for your garden annexe (0161) 2223350
The history of the Yurt
The Mongolian yurt, or ger, is a round, self-supporting structure. The word Yurt is Russian for ‘Dwelling’. It is a nomadic shelter lived in for thousands of years by tribes from the near East and Central Asia. It does not rely on ropes or stakes to hold itself up; rather, the walls, rafters, roof ring, and tensioning bands all work against each other to keep the structure standing. Because the rafters bear the weight of the roof ring, no centre pole is necessary unless the yurt is very large. The Mongols would build their cooking fires in the centre of their yurts, opening a smoke hole for the purpose.
Yurt: (ger) Ancient Nomadic Shelter. Nomadic people viewed their shelters as a sacred spaces, and within all cultures the circle remains the symbol of unity, representing the wholeness of all things and our interconnectedness with nature.
Gorkhi Terelj National, Park Ulaanbaata – Most yurts are built with a lattice framework which is, in essence, a circular canvas tent – the wooden yurt has recently emerged and is now a popular and alluring addition to international yurt sites
Even though the original design of the Yurt goes back over 2,500 years, the basic construction of a yurt remains the same: a portable dwelling consisting of a folding lattice wall, with radial roof beams all leading to a central circular ‘crown’ or dome. As a self- supporting system, the design is so simple yet can provide a magical form of shelter for nomadic communities and, most recently, tourists all over the globe seeking an authentic and connected experience.
The beauty of the yurt is of course the simplicity of it’s shape, the round, of which we are so passionate; symbolises unity with nature and with eachother.
Those of us, the hardened yurt-enthusiasts love not only the simplicity of the structure itself but everything that it represents. The history of our ancient people and the symbolism of the circle itself.
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This photo courtesy of http://www.ernak-horde.com/ shows a Mongolian wooden ger (yurt). Common now in North America and Canada, wooden yurts are gradually repacing the canvas structure as a more permanent dwelling.
For those interested in reading more about the spiritual and anthropological significance of this humble structure in human history, there is a beautifully illustrated and passionate article written by Candace Rose Radon which must absolutely be your first port of call; link here:
The history of the Yurt is a deep and engrossing subject which has consumed the time and thoughts of many writers and historians. A fascinating book on this subject is:
Simple Shelters: Tents, Tipis, Yurts, Domes and Other Ancient Homes” by Jonathan Horning
Yurts, Tents, tipis, domes and other ancient homes
| Further sources on nomad tents – courtesy of Ernak-Horde | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The best source of information about any type of steppe nomad tent is Felt Tents and Pavilions: The Nomadic Tradition and its Interaction with Princely Tentage by Dr. Peter Andrews. This book discusses the variety and design of tents and carts that were used throughout steppe nomad history. The book also discusses how the camps were set up, organized and even some of the titles of camp officers and their duties. Here is a link to Dr. Andrew’s web site where you can find his publications and his curriculum vitae (qualifications, education, field work experience, research positions, etc.) |
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| http://www.andrewspeter.info/index.html | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Below is a link to a review of his book. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| http://www.andrewspeter.info/files/Allsen.pdf | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Here is a link to an interesting article on tents in the Mongol Empire by Caroline Stone, who is the senior researcher of the “Civilizations in Contact” project for the University of Cambridge. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| http://islamic-arts.org/2012/movable-palaces/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A few more books of interest:Circle Houses: Yurts, Tipis, and Benders by David Pearson Mongolian Cloud Houses by Dan Frank Kuehn Caravans to Tatary by Roland Michaud Tents: Architecture of the Nomads by Torvald Faegre |
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Sustainable Timber Policy
