Clos Barbier Phase 2

We were appointed by Guernsey Housing Association to design a development on a redundant vinery site complying with the then current Planning Policy of rounding off an existing social housing development (Clos Barbier Phase 1).

This development was to be designed specifically for GHA tenants who are over 55 years of age. GHA have very specific requirements way in excess of statutory regulations, room sizes exceed recommended standards, levels of insulation are much higher (walls must achieve a maximum U-value of 0.15, Building Control requirements U-value of 0.35). Air tighness requirements for GHA are a maximum of  2 m3/hr/m2 , Building Control requirements are a maximum of  10 m3/hr/m2. Acoustic separation between units must exceed the Building Regulations by 5 dB.
Where practical Lifetime Homes criteria are met, all ground floor apartments have wetroom showers and are capable of being adapted to be fully wheelchair accessible.

With this project we have sought to meet the GHA requirements with a design that provides a distinctive street presence to Rue Jehannet, and provides some rhythm to the streetscene, with sufficient detail to break up what is effectively a long thin site. The front of the apartments have a private garden area for the upstairs apartment, which also have a large covered south facing balcony, the ground floor units have a garden to the rear, with a low fence enabling views to the landscape buffer, and beyond across the fields. Once the landscaping establishes in front of the units the character of this development will be further enhanced.