The redevelopment of a dilapidated building in Rushton in Cheshire by CB Homes has been recognised in the LABC awards.
The Mill Pool, designed and built by developers and self-build specialists CB Homes, won the ‘Best Small Development in the Northwest’ category in the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) awards.
CB Homes built two five-bedroomed homes, called Mallards and Grebe, within the footprint of the former Mill Pool Restaurant in Rushton, near Tarporley.
Situated overlooking a former mill pond, the distinctive development was designed to high quality specifications, making the most of modern technology but paying particular attention to environmental sensitivities, to ensure it blended in with the surrounding area. The architectural style used traditional muted materials of brick and slate, making it appropriate to the rural setting, while the timber gates and sandstone boundary walling are also in keeping with the local character.
As the new development is located next to Mill Pool Lake, popular for fishing, with an inlet and outlet to Sandyford Brook, CB Homes took great care throughout the design and build periods to safeguard the water course. To benefit the habitat for local wildlife, bat boxes were built into both houses and permanent nests for swallows and swifts were also installed.
Nathan Booth, Land and Marketing, CB Homes said, “After 35 years of building homes of character and distinction, we are very aware of our responsibility to local communities with regard to the build and design of each of our bespoke homes. The mill pool at Rushton has been part of the landscape, heritage and recreation for local people for centuries. From the start we focused our design on the visual improvement and enhancement of the site, at the same time as on the creation of two homes that epitomise idyllic and luxurious country living. We are very proud to have our efforts recognised with this fantastic award.”
The Mill Pool will now go forward to the LABC Building Excellence Awards Grand Finals 2019 in London in November, where it will compete against other winning developments from around the UK.
