Grafton New Hall

In 2000 the Practice was presented with an exceptional challenge to design a substantial country house on an undeveloped site known since the thirteenth century as the Manor of Grafton. Planning Policy Guidance No. 7 published in 1997 allowed for building of great country houses to be considered in exceptional circumstances, where the architecture and landscape can be regarded as outstanding.

Design for the house, ancillary accommodation and the landscaping simultaneously emerged from rigorous historical research and careful study of the ecology. The siting exploits the landscape vistas and the natural features of the established South Cheshire countryside with the plan form favouring a Palladian model of rooms set around a central stair. The formality of the house is reproduced in a more relaxed way in the courtyard.

The Local Authority decided that the quality and thoroughness of approach merited support for the scheme and granted Outline Planning Permission with condition that detail design of the house should be the subject of an RIBA competition.