Project Overview
When a severe fire gutted the family home at 9 Pike Hills Mount, it left behind more than a damaged building — it left a gap in an otherwise cohesive streetscape on the quiet former alignment of the A64, at the northwestern edge of Copmanthorpe village. The owners, who named the rebuilt house Phoenix House, wanted more than simple reinstatement. The challenge was to match the scale and rhythm of a tight group of uniform two-storey properties while delivering a home that was meaningfully better than what stood before.
The Design Approach
The brief was precise — same footprint, same building line, same relationship to neighbours on either side (2.8 metres to the west, 3.3 metres to the east) — but the design solution was anything but a like-for-like swap. Rather than recreating the original brick facade, the scheme introduces a crisp render finish anchored by a six-metre full-length glazed section at the centre of the front elevation, giving the streetscape a contemporary focal point while remaining unmistakably at home among its neighbours. The dormer bungalow form was chosen specifically because it dominates the street; to have departed from it would have jarred.
One of the more considered moves was the internal layout. The property sits directly opposite the A64, a major road with no barrier attenuation between carriageway and front boundary. Rather than treating noise simply as a compliance matter, the design orientates the principal living accommodation away from the road. The double glazing specification — 6mm and 10mm panes rather than standard equal-pane units — adds a further layer of acoustic protection. On the upper floor, that same orientation rewards occupants with unobstructed views across the village towards York Minster.
Sustainable Living and Energy Efficiency
The replacement dwelling was designed to meet current building regulations standards on energy performance, with walls, floors and roof insulated beyond the minimum u-values required. Photovoltaic solar tiles — an integrated C21e system chosen specifically to sit flush with the roofline rather than sit on top of it — provide renewable energy for hot water and return surplus to the grid. Low-volume sanitary fittings and water-efficient appliances complete the specification. The finished home achieved an EPC grade B, the highest attainable for a property with a gas boiler.
Context and Community Integration
At approximately 3,000 sq/ft, Phoenix House is a substantial family home. The planning authority approved the scheme without amendment, finding the proposal acceptable in terms of both the wider street scene and the amenity of neighbouring properties. Copmanthorpe Parish Council raised no objection.
