Garry Thomas, Architect, Thomas Studio HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT


AWARD-WINNING CONTEMPORARY HOME


There is something particularly satisfying about seeing a difficult site become a successful home.


Mews House in Leominster has recently been named Hereford Times Building of the Year 2026, recognition that means a great deal because this was never an obvious or straightforward development site.


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Hidden behind Westbury House, a Grade II listed villa, the new house occupies part of its former walled garden. An earlier proposal by others had been refused because of its impact on the listed building, so when I became involved the answer was not simply to redesign the house. We first needed to understand the place.


Historic maps revealed how the grounds had evolved as Leominster expanded and identified remnants of the earlier landscape, including mature trees and the line of a lost garden wall. Those fragments helped shape the architecture rather than being treated as obstacles.


The result is deliberately inward-looking. Backland sites can easily create concerns about overlooking, so most of the accommodation is single storey, with principal rooms looking towards the house’s own gardens. The upper floor is pulled back amongst retained trees and clad in zinc, while brickwork relates to the old boundary walls. A pyramidal zinc roof brings daylight into the kitchen and dining space, and the main bedroom sits quietly amongst the treetops.


One of the most satisfying responses came from a neighbour who had objected strongly during planning, worried about privacy and character. Having now seen the completed house and how quietly it sits within its garden, they have since said they would love to buy it. For me, that says a great deal about what careful design and patient engagement can achieve.


As autumn turns towards winter, this is also when I think the house is at its most atmospheric. Large areas of glazing frame the changing garden, while warm interiors contrast with darker skies outside. Good architecture should work particularly hard in the colder months, when daylight, warmth and a connection to landscape become even more important.


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For me, the award is also recognition of a wider idea: some of Herefordshire’s best opportunities for new homes are already sitting within our towns and villages.


They may be narrow plots, forgotten gardens, redundant yards or sites complicated by neighbours, access and heritage. These places often require more thought, not less.


Mews House shows that contemporary architecture does not need open countryside or a dramatic hilltop. Sometimes the most rewarding project is hidden behind a wall, waiting for someone to see its potential.


Garry Thomas is the founder of Thomas Studio Architects, based in Herefordshire. See the work and read Garry's design and planning insight on his website or speak to Garry directly.


www.thomasstudio.co.uk info@thomasstudio.co.uk · 01432 804100


THE MIDLANDS PROPERT Y GUIDE THOMAS STUDIO ARCHITEC TS


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