Projects

Revitalising rowing heritage through sustainable design in a riverside gateway location

Our role

• Our Planning, Heritage, Townscape and Landscape teams supported Pangbourne College in redeveloping its historic boathouse site, guiding the evolution of the proposals to address heritage environmental and functional constraints.
• We provided strategic planning advice, co-ordinated technical assessments and prepared the Planning Statement to support a revised full application following the withdrawal of an earlier scheme.
• Our Heritage team assessed the site’s relationship to the adjacent grade II* listed masonic lodge, helping to redesign the scheme to enhance views and setting.
• We led the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment and worked to integrate biodiversity, native planting and flood resilience into the design, consistent with the site’s location in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.
• Early pre-application engagement and detailed design responses ensured the revised scheme overcame previous objections.

Results

• The planning application was recommended for approval by the case officer and subsequently approved by the council. The scheme delivers a modern, sustainable boathouse, with improved coeducational changing facilities and flood resilient design features along the River Thames.
• Our involvement helped preserve and optimise the site’s established educational and recreational use, supporting Pangbourne College’s national reputation in rowing.
• Through careful co-ordination, we ensured the scheme achieved design excellence within a sensitive riverside and heritage context. The approved application reflects the college’s sustainability ambitions while enhancing the entrance into Pangbourne village.

Image Credit: Mitchell Eley Gould Architects