Previous attempts to build on the site failed

Clague Architects has won planning for a small contemporary house on an infill plot in a conservation area in Kent after two years of consultation.

The 820 sq ft, single-storey dwelling tucked behind a wall in Brenchley Mews, Charing, was designed by associate Tim Hare.

He said: “The scheme faced a plethora of objections from the local residents and the parish council. The overriding objection was the perceived view that a contemporary design of any nature would not be acceptable or in keeping within the conservation area.”

The site is surrounded by Georgian buildings, including a grade II folly, and a brick garden wall, which posed a significant design challenge, said Hare.

A number of previous applications made on the site were unsuccessful.

The visual impact was minimised by building no higher than 3m, having no fenestration in the external walls and adopting a flat sedum and wild flower roof.

The plan was designed to provide compact open-plan living space surrounding a courtyard.