Ashman Architects

📅 Deadline Week at Ashman Architects! 🏗️ We’re heads down, diving deep into an exciting master planning project. It’s all hands on deck, with our talented team giving it their all to bring this vision to life. Attention to detail is key and every cup of coffee and a great playlist is fueling our creativity and focus. ☕🎶 We thrive on challenges like these, knowing that every detail and careful consideration brings us closer to shaping better spaces for communities. Big thanks to our incredible team for the dedication and passion 🚀 Let’s get it done! 💪🛠️ #AshmanArchitects #MasterPlanning #Teamwork #sustainablearchitecture #sustainability #greenarchitecture #greenbelt #peterborough

Every location, every site, every building has its own distinctive character, history, and quirks. It is exactly this unique set of qualities that we seek to reveal and celebrate through considered architecture, rooted in site-inspired design. To learn more, visit our website or give us a ring- link in bio. #sustainablearchitecture #siteinspired #peterborough #ashmanarchitects

  Planning Win - Peterborough We are thrilled to announce that we have successfully secured planning permission on behalf of our client for a transformative infill project in the heart of Peterborough City Centre's Conservation Area! The development of the under-utilised site involves the demolition of the existing single-storey commercial building and the construction of a new four-storey, mixed-use building. The ground floor will host a flexible commercial space, with six stylish residential units set out above, offering modern urban living. Located within the Park Conservation Area, Ashman Architects has designed this project sensitively to complement the historic surroundings. By proposing a four-storey infill, we’ve maximized the site’s potential value, ensuring both functionality and aesthetic harmony. The chosen red brick exterior seamlessly integrates with the local architecture, while complimentary darker window frames add a contemporary touch. Inset brick detailing emphasises the elevation's grid formation, creating a striking yet cohesive façade. #AshmanArchitects #Peterborough #CityCentre #UrbanDevelopment #Architecture #PlanningPermission #ConservationArea #ModernLiving #CommercialAndResidential #Sustainablearchitecture

Discover how we integrated our approach to Net Zero Masterplanning solutions in our Cheshire, UK Pilot Project case study. #sustainablearchitecture #sustainability #greenarchitecture #greenbuilding #netzero #peterborough #casestudy

What considerations are necessary if you want to build a house in the countryside? Most local and national planning policies are strongly weighted against development in open countryside. However there is a section of planning policy that allows for the opportunity to build an exceptional piece of architecture on land which would otherwise be deemed unsuitable… Paragraph 84. Paragraph 84 of the National Planning Policy Framework outlines five key circumstances where an exemption from normal planning policy may be granted. Whilst one or more of these circumstances can apply, most projects fall under the following precept: “The design is of exceptional quality, in that it: - is truly outstanding, reflecting the highest standards in architecture, and would help to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas; and - would significantly enhance its immediate setting, and be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area." How to Build in Open Countryside Here are eight things you can do to get started: 1) Have a Clear Vision A clear brief is the bedrock of any design. You and your architect must be aligned on the project’s defining principles. 2) Set the Budget Nothing brings dreamers crashing back to earth quite like budgetary reality. However, if the numbers aren’t realistic, you risk designing something unaffordable. 3) Identify the Site Paragraph 84 projects are defined by their sites. A design cannot be simply parachuted in with no regard to its context. Identifying the site is a crucial early step that will inform every facet of the project. 4) Viability Assessment Most clients engage an architect early on to assess the viability of their project – usually taking the form of a pre-application submission. The selection/purchase of a site hinges entirely on its viability. 5) Eco-Friendly Design From 2024, a requirement for a 10% net gain in biodiversity became mandatory – ensuring habitats for wildlife are left in a measurably better state than they were before development. 6) Storytelling Cultivating a compelling narrative is often instrumental to gaining approval. Whether it’s the applicants’ relationship with the site; the community’s associations with the land; or how the design forms the latest chapter in its history. Gregory Mitchell 7) Community Engagement Applications on rural sites are renowned for attracting speculation and local opposition – often a consequence of the prospective developer’s failure to communicate with the community. 8) Peer Review The high bar set by Paragraph 84 means that an endorsement from a Design Review Panel can be instrumental. Design Review Panels provide impartial advice to applicants and local authorities. Your Questions Answered. Ashman Architects can help you navigate the complicated design and planning process to realise your dream project. If you’re ready to get started, speak with us today: Originally by: Gregory Mitchell #paragraph84 #planning

Meet Kirstin Garizio, a key member of the team responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the studio and managing HR, Marketing, Finance, and Operations within the practice. Kirstin has worked in the Construction and Mining sectors for the majority of her career in Sales, Marketing, Construction Project Support, Health & Safety, and Planning Permission Coordination roles. Originally from South Africa, she has lived in Peterborough for 10 years. Her passions are Interior Design, Gardening, Travel, and Rock Music. #TeamSpotlight #MeetTheTeam #SustainableArchitecture #Team #Peterborough

Our approach to Net Zero Masterplanning: Utilising Natural Materials - Ultra-local ‘Biogenic’ material use. Biogenic building materials are low carbon materials derived from natural sources like plants, animals, or microorganisms - Think of wood, bamboo, earth and straw. They are renewable, reduce environmental impact, and promote sustainability by utilizing what nature already offers instead of relying on synthetic or non-renewable resources. Utilising available, local Biogenic materials would hugely reduce ‘Carbon miles’, and helps create a design quite literally of its place. Through implementation at a large scale, there is an added opportunity to upskill a local workforce for green building technologies. To start, the site and its surroundings need to be assessed for opportunities to source Biogenic materials. For example, high clay content soils are good for adobe bricks. Constructing from materials such as straw bale or hemp offers a low embodied carbon material source, which may be available locally in order to further reduce the potential carbon negative footprint of the development. The insulating properties of many Biogenic materials are often good, so with the correct application, there is the potential to achieve Passivhaus standards, while creating buildings with a unique character and aesthetic that adds to rich and meaningful place-making. #sustainablearchitecture #sustainability #greenarchitecture #greenbuilding #netzero #peterborough 

It's always great to hear from our clients! "We have worked with the team at Ashman Architects on a number of sites over the last year. They have been very helpful, responsive, with excellent commercial knowledge, and are extremely personable. I would definitely recommend." - Sophie Dickens, Tydus Peterborough Real Estate #testimonial #peterborough #sustainablearchitecture #sustainability #happyclient

Our approach to Net Zero Masterplanning:  Building as a material bank This approach seeks to specify and detail materials that are designed for dismantling and reuse at the end of the building’s life. Items are catalogued and a record is kept of what the building is made of. Standardised component sizes and mechanical fixings allow for an ease of deconstruction and re-appropriation. As the build reaches the end of its life, there is a recorded catalogue of its ‘material bank’ that can be reclaimed and reused. This whole life cycle approach will be critical for meeting the targets for schemes such as LETI and RIBA Climate Change. Contact us to learn more (link in bio). #sustainablearchitecture #sustainability #greenarchitecture #greenbuilding #netzero #peterborough 

Our approach to Net Zero Masterplanning: Creative Re-use - Waste as a Resource This is the principle of re-using or repurposing building materials that have already been used. To achieve this on a larger site we would seek to source a reliable local supplier or establish a store/‘Material Emporium’ on site to start to catalogue, stockpile and sort reclaimed materials from the surrounding area ready for construction. This approach could help reflect local distinctiveness. For example, an established stock of reclaimed bricks might help produce buildings that reflect historical context or vernacular style. To maximise efficiency in reuse, materials should be profiled from largest to smallest to ensure the capacity of material is retained where possible. i.e. large beams not cut to create smaller elements without first assessing them for use as larger elements. We can help you plan your next low carbon build. Get in touch to chat about your next project - link in bio. #sustainablearchitecture #sustainability #greenarchitecture #greenbuilding #netzero #peterborough