Foxholes Cottages – Internal Renovation & External Works

Project Overview

Foxholes Cottages are holiday-let properties situated within Seven Sisters Country Park in the South Downs National Park. Following the successful delivery of works at New Barn Cottage, At Home Services was appointed by the South Downs National Park Authority to undertake a further programme of refurbishment and external improvement works at Foxholes. These works were undertaken via JCT ICD 2016 Intermediate Building Contract

Delivered across two phases, the project encompassed refurbishment and alterations to the holiday accommodation, followed by extensive drainage, hard landscaping and external improvement works. The scheme required careful coordination around existing buildings, underground services, ecological constraints and the sensitive country park setting.

Throughout the project, At Home Services worked closely and collaboratively with the wider professional team, including Specialist Conservation Award-Winning Architect Pritchard Architecture of Portsmouth, together with MEA Construction Consultants, who provided Quantity Surveying services and acted as the Employer’s Agent.

This collaborative approach was particularly important given the conservation and ecological sensitivities of the site, the discovery of Great Crested Newts and the need to adapt elements of the works in response to existing site conditions.

Challenges and Requirements

The project presented a number of challenges arising from the location, existing infrastructure, ecological constraints and operational requirements of the holiday accommodation. Key considerations included:

1. Ecological Constraints & Protected Species: During the works, Great Crested Newts were discovered within the site, introducing additional ecological constraints to the project. As a protected species, their presence required works to be carefully managed and adapted in accordance with ecological requirements, with particular consideration given to working methods, affected areas and the sequencing of external works.
2. Commercial Holiday Accommodation: The cottages form part of the visitor accommodation at Seven Sisters Country Park, making the quality, durability and presentation of the completed works particularly important.
3. Sensitive Location: Working within Seven Sisters Country Park required careful management of construction activities and materials to minimise environmental impact and ensure the completed works remained sympathetic to the surrounding landscape.
4. Existing Underground Services: Existing services had to be located, identified and mapped during the external works. Their positions affected elements of the proposed drainage and landscaping design, requiring the scheme to be adapted to actual site conditions.
5. Drainage Coordination: New and altered drainage infrastructure and inspection chambers had to be carefully coordinated with existing services, buildings, levels and proposed paths.
6. Traditional Hard Landscaping: The scheme incorporated reclaimed Yorkstone paving and traditional masonry detailing. Variations in the thickness and dimensions of reclaimed natural stone required careful preparation and installation.
7. Material Availability & Programme: Specialist material availability, ecological restrictions and lead times required active procurement and programme management throughout the external works.

Project Execution

At Home Services managed and delivered the project across two principal phases, coordinating our directly employed workforce, specialist contractors and suppliers while working closely with the South Downs National Park Authority, Pritchard Architecture and MEA Construction Consultants throughout delivery.

Close collaboration with the professional team enabled design, conservation, commercial and practical construction considerations to be coordinated as the works progressed. Pritchard’s provided specialist conservation architectural expertise, while MEA Construction Consultants undertook the project’s Quantity Surveying requirements and acted as Employer’s Agent.

The works included:

• Holiday Accommodation Refurbishment: Internal decorations, alterations and general refurbishment works to improve the presentation and condition of the cottages.
• Ventilation Improvements: Installation and improvement of mechanical extract ventilation to selected areas.
• Chimney & Roofing Works: Repairs and associated works to the existing chimneys and roof areas.
• Drainage Works: Installation and alteration of underground drainage, including new inspection chambers and associated connections.
• Service Investigation & Mapping: Existing underground services were located and mapped to inform the drainage and external works.
• Paths & Hard Landscaping: Construction and improvement of external paths and paved areas, including reclaimed Cathedral Yorkstone.
• Retaining Walls & Masonry: Construction and improvement of retaining walls and associated masonry incorporating traditional detailing and half-round capping.
• External Joinery & Decorations: Refurbishment and decoration of external doors and timber elements using finishes sympathetic to the rural setting.
• Camping Barn Improvements: Redecoration of the Camping Barn, new ironmongery, replacement of damaged glazing and renewal of glazing beads.
• Landscaping & Tree Works: Landscaping, fencing and associated tree works forming part of the wider external improvement scheme.
• Ecological Management: Following the discovery of Great Crested Newts, the works were adapted and carefully managed to accommodate the resulting ecological restrictions and protected-species requirements.

As the external works progressed, the location of existing underground services required elements of the proposed layout to be reconsidered. At Home Services worked collaboratively with the professional team to adapt the drainage and hard landscaping works to suit the actual site conditions while maintaining the intended functionality, conservation principles and quality of the completed scheme.

Outcome

The completed project has enhanced the condition, presentation and external environment of the Foxholes holiday accommodation, providing improved facilities for continued commercial use within Seven Sisters Country Park.

The first phase refreshed and improved the cottages themselves, while the subsequent external works delivered substantial improvements to drainage, paths, retaining structures, landscaping and the wider setting of the accommodation. The use of reclaimed Yorkstone and sympathetic materials and finishes helped ensure the completed works complemented the character of the existing buildings and their sensitive landscape setting.

The project also demonstrates the importance of collaborative working between contractor, client and professional consultants on complex conservation projects. At Home Services worked closely with the South Downs National Park Authority, Architect, Pritchard Architecture and MEA Construction Consultants as Quantity Surveyor and Employer’s Agent, allowing construction, conservation, ecological and commercial requirements to be considered collectively throughout delivery.

This collaborative approach was particularly valuable when responding to unforeseen site conditions, including existing underground services and the discovery of Great Crested Newts, which introduced additional ecological restrictions to the external works.

Foxholes demonstrates At Home Services’ ability to deliver commercial refurbishment, conservation-sensitive construction and complex external works within an environmentally and ecologically sensitive visitor destination, while working effectively as part of a wider professional project team.