Conran & Partners has submitted a scheme for six mews houses in St James’s Street Mews to Brighton & Hove City Council.

The houses, for Downland Housing Association, part of the Affinity Sutton Group, are built in a black brick, taking inspiration from the mathematical tiles that face many of the Regency buildings on the nearby Old Steine, along The Level and elsewhere in the older parts of town. This will give a bold, striking appearance to the new buildings.

The scheme uses repetition in the manner of the local Victorian streets to give a rhythm to the elevations. The windows are finished in a complementary colour. The project proposes the first bio-diverse roof in the city, and also accords with many other aspects of the Council’s sustainability policies, such as the use of very high levels of insulation, sun-pipes to light the kitchens and highly energy-efficient, water-saving appliances. This will be one of the city’s most environmentally friendly housing projects.

The houses, which will be for sale on a shared ownership or for affordable rent, will be designed to Lifetime Homes standards, and are intended as two-person dwellings. They are simply laid out with an open-plan living/dining, kitchen area and a wheelchair accessible w.c. on the ground floor, upstairs will a be a double bedroom and a bathroom.