Making Place House & Estate

Gagarin Studio has completed a new ‘Country House Clause’ home on the moorland fringes of the South Pennines. The project utilised Paragraph 79 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which allowed for exemplary new-build homes in open countryside where special circumstances and outstanding design quality can be demonstrated.

The design continues the long-established tradition of Yeoman Clothier houses set within the farmland of Calderdale — a distinctive house type that later influenced Arts and Crafts architecture across the country. This proposal reinterprets the ‘Halifax House’ vernacular for the 21st century, creating a modern, zero-carbon dwelling designed to endure the challenging South Pennine climate.

Rooted in its landscape, the new house responds carefully to its context. The design draws inspiration from local stone field shelters and enclosure walls, with the concept of ‘field rotation and shelter’ shaping the building from the outset. Historically, farming in this region has been a constant battle against the elements, and the robust building fabric of local farmhouses reflects this enduring relationship with the landscape.

The wider scheme also delivers significant environmental benefits, including wetland and habitat enhancements, land stewardship measures, new ponds, and sensitive landscaping. These interventions are combined with flood alleviation strategies, creating an exemplar approach to sustainable land management for rural landowners.