Reviving the farmstead: Lower Farm Mews

PiP Architects
Jul 30
2 min read

Nine individual homes gather around a former farmyard, returning community heart to a derelict Norfolk site

The Challenge

Lower Farm Mews had sat empty for several years. The farmhouse and its cluster of courtyard buildings had been unsympathetically altered and extended for a care home which was then abandoned leaving the location deserted.

When Norfolk-based developer Zero in Developments (ZiD) took ownership, the site already had permission to demolish the buildings and replace them with a standardised estate of luxury six-bed homes. But local objection had been fierce, and ZiD Director Jed was sure there must be a better approach.

The Design

The site is located within a conservation area and on the edge of a sensitive village setting. PiP designed a scheme of modest village homes that would retain the original structures and restore the heritage of the original farm.

A detailed feasibility reassured Jed that this more sustainable approach would both meet the needs of the local community, and deliver the accommodation the scheme needed to succeed commercially.

The design is centered around a communal courtyard, reinstated by removing a care home wing that had split the site in two. The large original farmhouse was refurbished on the street frontage, while the cluster of buildings behind were developed into eight new dwellings of varying size. Each enjoys long sight lines across the Norfolk countryside and dual-aspect rooms that maximise natural light.

The materials chosen root the development in rural Norfolk. New flint work sits alongside original stonework complimented by red brick and render, while contemporary timber cladding marks newer additions telling the story of old and new. Every home is individual, designed to take advantage of the original features available – from exposed timber beams and vaulted bedrooms, to arched glazing and hidden basements.

The project was not without challenge. When the original contractor went into administration mid-build, ZiD chose to self-build rather than compromise the scheme, with PiP guiding them through the transition.

Sustainability is a shared priority for both ZiD and PiP. Every home includes an air source heat pump, solar panels and battery storage, and all properties achieved an EPC A rating not easily achieved on a conversion.

The Result

Lower Farm Mews went through planning without a single objection - a rare outcome for a site that had previously drawn strong local opposition.

Now complete, the nine architecturally distinct homes appeal to a mix of families, retirees and second-home owners, all brought together around the attractive central courtyard of this thoughtfully restored Norfolk site.