New-build House, St Andrews
Planning application submitted for a new one-and-a-half-storey dwelling set within Hepburn Gardens Conservation Area.
- Size/Scale
- Location St Andrews
- Client
- Completion
New-build House, St Andrews
The proposal subdivides the existing plot of an early 19th century C-listed former toll house located just outside the town walls of St Andrews to accommodate a new one-and-a-half-storey dwelling. The new house replaces a later garage structure and seeks to retain and enhance the setting of the historic Toll Cottage. Parking is improved with dedicated access provided for both properties.
Partially set into the natural slope of the site, the building adopts a modest profile that reduces its perceived mass. A recessed and angled gable softens the street elevation, while a planted ground-floor roof further integrates the building into its landscape setting. The dwelling opens southwards towards adjacent parkland while remaining more closed to the north toward the street.
A restrained and durable palette of Petersen brick at ground level, vertical timber cladding above, and quartz zinc roofing provide longevity and low environmental impact, while the building envelope achieves high thermal efficiency through triple-glazed openings and well-insulated construction.
The dwelling is oriented to maximise passive solar gain, with larger glazed areas facing south. Meanwhile, the south-facing roof is designed to accommodate solar panels.
The building has been carefully designed to respond sensitively to Toll Cottage, its listed status, and the wider conservation area. The scale, massing, and articulation of the new house are deliberately restrained, ensuring it integrates seamlessly into the streetscape while respecting the rhythm, proportion, and character of surrounding buildings.