These eye-catching images show the ultramodern design of a multi-million dollar ecotourism development in Devon.
The images were included in a planning request from Habitat First Group which plans to build 158 vacation homes on the site of a former quarry.
Plans also include a 40-room hotel, country club and spa to be built at Venn Quarry near Landkey in North Devon.
General clearance for the estate, which will be called Birchwood, was granted by planners at the North Devon Council in 2017.
But a new app received late last year gives a more detailed look at how the development will look.
According to plans, the first section to be built, known as the Stockyard, will feature 17 modern vacation homes surrounded by woodland with fireplaces, wood-fired hot tubs and a large treehouse for the kids.
The developers claim that the sustainable modular housing will be completely carbon neutral and “almost” plastic-free.
They also estimate that the 63-hectare site will generate £ 3.9million per year for the local economy through visitor spending.
In a design and access statement submitted with their latest application, the developers state, “The vision of Birchwood Lakes is to create a sustainable and inclusive community centered on vacation accommodation and a resort where visitors can relax. in a natural environment of biodiversity.
“This will be achieved within a carefully managed landscape and nature conservation framework, combining the needs of people and wildlife by integrating the built and natural environments into a managed framework.
“Thus, the buildings will be integrated into a network of connected homes. A landscape frame would form green corridors reconnecting the site to the landscape beyond the restored quarry area.
“The overarching objective of the proposed development is the seamless and sustainable integration of low-density holiday accommodation into an ecologically enhanced landscape; the creation of an ecological benchmark for a new development in the biosphere reserve. “
The app says the “private vacation home community” would allow owners to “escape the rigors of city life” where they could “explore and rejuvenate safely in acres and acres of habitat. natural”.
The eye-catching modern homes were designed by Bideford-based company Koto Designs.
The first Stockyard phase of the development includes three bedroom ‘tree houses’ and two and three bedroom ‘hawk houses’.
The tree houses are designed to have a “minimal and monolithic” appearance and will be clad in charred larch or natural cedar.
The Falcon Houses are designed on a similar principle, but feature a “twisted” upper story giving them a unique aesthetic.
The houses will be sold as “self-built” housing on a fixed price construction contract. However, they are only sold as vacation accommodation.
This means that they are not designed to be inhabited full time by single occupants.
When the accommodations are not in use by their owners, they can be rented out as vacation homes.
Two and three bedroom homes in Birchwood start from £ 399,000, including construction and land.
According to the developers, Birchwood will be built in five phases over four years – starting this year.
If all goes according to plan, the Habitat First group hopes to have the first occupants of the homes by the end of this year and aims to complete the overall development by 2024.
A decision on the latest site development application is expected shortly, with the consultation period expiring earlier this month.
You can see the full plans of Birchwood by visiting https://planning.northdevon.gov.uk/Planning/Display/70392
