Corten House
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ECE Planning
ECE Planning secured permission on appeal for a striking contemporary home in Lewes, East Sussex, later featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs in October 2015. Working with award-winning architects Sandy Rendel, we demonstrated that the exceptional architectural design and material quality justified its prominent location within a Conservation Area and the South Downs National Park.
The scheme replaced a redundant industrial site and introduced a bespoke Cor-Ten steel rainscreen cladding system, carefully selected for its texture, tone, and durability. The resulting form celebrates Lewes’ layered history while confidently expressing a modern identity, rooted in context but distinctly of its time.
Key to the appeal success was our evidence-led case that the design’s quality exceeded standard expectations. The Planning Inspector agreed, citing the proposal as “out of the ordinary” and of “surpassing quality,” acknowledging its potential as a landmark addition to the townscape.
This project exemplifies ECE Planning’s expertise in navigating sensitive heritage and landscape constraints, championing outstanding contemporary architecture, and successfully managing complex appeal processes in nationally protected areas.
