Situated in Lavendon, Buckinghamshire, an historic village of approximately 650 homes, the Salt Box was originally a drovers' pit stop to feed their horses salt, hay and water.

Planning permission was granted for nine dwellings including a range of 3, 5/6 and 6/7 bedroom houses. The proposed development draws much of its design inspiration from the existing character of the village where there are extensive examples of brickwork, stone and render used, along with a range of roof finishes including slates, plain tiles and concrete tiles.

The five cottage style dwellings provide a degree of continuity to the building line established by the existing dwellings to the north. The proposed character of these smaller dwellings is also seen as being in keeping with the broader character of the village, based on shallow depth wide fronted floor plans with simple duo pitched roofs that have ridges running parallel to the street, many examples of which exist within the village.  The careful placement of each of the houses has resulted in a layout that creates a sympathetic setting for each of the dwellings with a traditional village street frontage onto the High Street. 

The four larger detached houses at the rear of the site form a focal green space that reinforces the proposed tree retention and has a more natural association with the site’s, and village’s, heritage and character.

Key factors influencing the form and scale of the development have included: a need to relate to the sensitive context of the landscaped estate, the retained buildings and the creation of an attractive and sustainable development; local housing needs and delivery with an appropriate and balanced mix of dwelling sizes that meet the need for the efficient use of land; the context of the site, its topography, and the affect of the scheme on neighbours, traffic, pedestrian movement.