PLYMOUTH-BASED architects practice McCaren Architecture is celebrating a long-awaited planning victory after the government's Planning Inspector granted permission for their design for a contemporary hillside house in Trewarmett, near Tintagel, on appeal.

The granting of permission for a part-buried, grass-roofed house with a spectacular coastal outlook follows a protracted appeal process, which saw the company challenge, the development boundary within the North Cornwall village and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The site for the proposed house operated as Trebarwith Valley Nursery and Garden centre from 1980 to 2004 and was substantially developed during that time. Despite the former commercial use of the site, in 2001 the line of the development boundary set by North Cornwall Council was drawn through the site in such a way that only a small part of it could house future development.

The current site owner, Mr David Patten, first approached McCaren Architecture in 2007 with a brief to renew an existing planning permission for a conventional two-storey house on the portion of the site lying within the development boundary.

With this renewal achieved in 2008, Mr Patten decided to pursue his dream for an alternative development that would take full advantage of the site's unique landscape and views. This could only be achieved by siting the house outside the development boundary. McCaren then set about designing a home that would have low impact on the landscape, but high impact views and architecture within.

For the full report, and a round up of the area news and sport, please see this week's edition of the 'Post'.