After an initial proposal regarding demolition of existing rectory building and the erection of new buildings comprising 54 sheltered apartments, a radical re‐think to the design was undertaken, which now focussed on retention of the Rectory. This was regarded as key provision for maintaining the historic links of the site with St
Alphege church.
The Rectory viewed as a positive generator for the scheme, its design providing an architectural benchmark, for the scale and height of new building.
A Sketch scheme was produced for the new Residential block, its elongated L shaped plan, laid out on the east‐west axis of the site, the building predominately 3 storeys high, with
projecting block to echo the Rectory plan, due to the steep site gradient a 4storey element over the central plan. The Rectory, steep roofs and masonry wall could be reflected in the new
building.
Sketch proposals were submitted to the LA, in the response to the concerns raised in the Pre‐App submission.

The culmination of the design development over a period of months from the receipt of the Pre‐App comments resulted in the proposals becoming more sympathetic to the existing site
and its historic context, the final revision to the scheme addressed the potential overlooking issues with neighbouring properties by pulling the building back from the southern
boundary, and reducing its projecting south wing.

Design Concepts guiding the the final proposals included the retention of the existing Rectory and its setting byenhancing the Rectory garden as a communal focus for the
development.

Ensuring the new building does not dominate the existing Rectory in height terms became a crucial factor. An L shaped residential building formed where the layout is responsive to the Rectory garden, include a Courtyard sunken garden serving the Communal Lounge and providing natural light to adjoining apartments having direct access to the Rectory garden.

The ridge height of the new building was designed lower than the Rectory ridge height with the building forms and material selection reflecting the traditional building forms seen on Solihull Town Centre. Use of traditional materials of clay roof tiles, facing brick and tile hanging were proposed.

Protecting existing distant views of the historic St Alphege Church were incorporated whilst intensifying boundary new tree planting, to mitigate any loss of trees and planting helping to create high quality external spaces using suitable hard and soft landscaping materials.