Andlers Wood

ECE Architecture

Reimagining sustainable living within the South Downs National Park, where landscape-led design preserves the hidden village character of Liss, whilst creating exceptional contemporary homes.

Our landscape-led approach weaves interconnected green and blue infrastructure throughout the development, creating permeable public spaces that celebrate the surrounding National Park. This vision encourages ecological diversity whilst establishing meaningful connections between built form and the countryside beyond.

The project delivers 77 sustainable homes across a range of typologies, from 1-bedroom apartments to 4-bedroom houses, with 40% affordable housing to address local community needs. Our fabric-first sustainability strategy achieves 15% carbon emission reductions and 19% energy demand savings. Working across RIBA Stages 0-3, we combined design excellence with rigorous technical delivery, ensuring every detail contributes to the development’s seamless integration within this designated landscape.

Three distinct character areas define the development experience: ‘The Green’ features traditional ‘ha-ha’ details and attenuation basins; ‘Parkland’ celebrates historic landscape character, whilst the intimate ‘Courtyards’ promote biodiversity through carefully curated spaces.

Contemporary interpretations of local vernacular details such as catslide roofs, dormer windows, and gable frontages ensure the buildings appear ‘hunkered down‘ within the landscape. Diagonal open spaces frame views towards Butser Hill, strengthening connections to the wider countryside whilst preserving Liss’s cherished hidden village identity.

Operating within the South Downs National Park presented unique challenges requiring sensitive navigation of strict planning frameworks. We embraced the rigorous PPA pre-planning process, working collaboratively with the Design Review Panel and incorporating extensive public consultation feedback.

Our proactive approach, supported by ECE Planning, transformed potential constraints into design opportunities, securing unanimous approval from the SDNP Planning Committee through demonstrated alignment with the park’s conservation objectives.

Andlers Wood establishes a new benchmark for sensitive development within National Parks, demonstrating how landscape-led design creates lasting value for communities whilst respecting precious designated landscapes.