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drian and Amy Mole have managed the impossible: building their dream home in rural Kent within an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), and just outside the greenbelt. The home, which they share with daughter Emilia, was once the site of an old garage on a builder’s dump. Today, the land has been restored, and thoughtful design, natural materials and low-impact construction have created a modern sanctuary, quietly nestled among ild oer meados and an orchard The family bought a derelict Grade II listed


property in a Kent village just over 10 years ago and renovated it, before moving in and enjoying life. “But,” says Adrian, who is a semi-retired builder, “We always had a plan. The house had an acre or so of land with a large garage. Some of the land was inside the village curtilage and some was in the greenbelt. From above, it looks like a wedge of cheese.” Working with Emrys Architects, whom they had met previously through the recommendation of friends, and worked with on other projects, Adrian and Amy “sailed through” the planning process. Yet to do so meant they “ticked every box,” says Adrian, who ensured they carried out several surveys and tests. These included ground contamination (which was clear, despite the rubble) and animal surveys. Evidence of three slow worms meant Adrian had to build a special, temporary fence around the construction site. “It cost a lot of money, but we see them now in the garden,” says Adrian. Another requirement was an archaeological


survey, and the presence of an archaeologist for two and a half weeks when Adrian’s team broke ground. “He rushed over to say, ‘Good news,


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I’ve found the remains of a Roman dog!’” laughs Adrian. “It wasn’t so good for us!” Fortunately, the dog as eentally classifi ed as more recent and the build wasn’t impacted. Amy and Adrian didn’t want a pastiche of the village’s period properties, so local farm buildings inspired the design of the family’s home. Three barn-like sections are connected via glazed links, which allow light in and frame views of the landscape.


“The unusual geometry of the site inspired the design, resulting in three distinct building forms connected by glazed links,” explains Catriona Jones of Emrys Architects. “The surrounding fi eld as transformed into a meado ensring the greenbelt character was preserved, while still giving the family the sense of a large private green space.” The three-part form of the house feels natural, and the meadow landscape ensures that the house does not feel like overdevelopment, partly due to the exterior fi nish ie local barns the to oter bildings are clad in black-painted timber cladding. By contrast, the central building is painted white. ach has a pitched roof fi nished in standing seam zinc, another nod to the metal roofs of neighbouring agricultural byres. “We didn’t want some fake Georgian box, we wanted something modern,” explains Adrian. “I also really like painted timber. It looks a lot better than plastic or cement fi bre his cladding looks very natural.” Natural is the word for this project. The layout and orientation of the family’s home make the most of the surrounding landscape. At the rear, huge sliding glazed doors open


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