Why the sky’s the limit for this architect led Yorkshire housebuilder

Architect David Cross grew up in a back-to-back terraced house in Barnsley, and loved it. He says “You knew your neighbours and there was a sense of community.”

His fond memories and the obvious need for higher density, affordable housing in cities and towns where land for housing is scarce, led him and the team at Sheffield’s CODA Studios to reinvent terraced homes for the 21st century, ironing out all the historic issues they came with, including noise transference and lack of light and outside space.

It took over ten years from concept to building the first properties, which were contemporary, side by side, back-to-backs in Waverley, South Yorkshire, but it was worth the wait.

Sky-House Co, the company David co-founded and is a director of, has since continued the journey as a housebuilder, designing and constructing ultra modern, energy efficient back to back terraces while adding bungalows and duplex apartments set on two levels to its list of property types.

“Affordable duplex apartments and back to back bungalows are the missing middle that mainstream developers don’t build”, says David.

He adds: “We are looking at building more terraced, back to back bungalows, There is almost no competition out there as no-one builds them any more.”

The Sky-House Co versions of Victorian back-to-back terraced housing have also attracted buyers. They include en-suite bedrooms, open plan living space, patios and balconies and large areas of glazing to let in natural light. Outside there are communal gardens with places to play and meet.

“Young buyers don’t want old terraced houses but we have created an updated version to make them much more appealing,” says David.

Car dependency in city developments is discouraged. For that reason, properties generally have one space in a separate parking area, rather than outside their home, and some have none.

This helps with community interaction and stops people from opening their front door and getting in the car and driving off without seeing neighbours and exchanging a cheery “Good morning”.

Plus, says David: “I lived in a country cottage and we were completely reliant on a car but I now live reasonably central in Sheffield, I walk everywhere and that’s proven to be very healthy.”

All Sky-House Co homes are zero-gas and there is an emphasis on carbon reduction in the construction process and in overall energy use when the properties are occupied.

Crucial to that is a fabric first approach to heat loss so the properties are heavily insulated and damp-proofed. Instead of gas boilers, there are air-source heat pumps and heat recovery systems plus electricity generating solar panels, where possible.

It’s easy to see why the future for the business looks bright. Construction is now underway on the Sky-House Devonshire Quarter site in Sheffield, which will include 28 two-bedroom duplex Sky-Houses alongside a mini-tower of 32 apartments and business space.

The next project to come out of the ground will be in Sheffield city centre’s Little Chicago district, which got its name during the gang wars in the 1920s.

The development will include apartments, townhouses and two commercial spaces centred around communal gardens.

Costs for Sky-House Co homes vary with a three bedroom home in the Oughtibridge development at £279,950 and on the soon to be built Waverley Central site prices will be from £225,000 for mews and townhouses while in the upcoming Devonshire Quarter in Sheffield prices look set to be from £130,000 to £230,000.

The ultimate ambition is for Sky-House Co. to expand and go nationwide.

Funded by South Yorkshire pension authority, the backing and the pipeline and the future looks good and the business has just opened a North West office to serve the Manchester and Liverpool markets.

“What’s interesting is that rather than going hunting for land, we are getting invitations to build,” says David.

Along with selling homes on the open market, Sky-House Co is also selling to pension funds as buy-to-let investments with the properties design and sustainability credentials proving a huge draw.

As for competition, David can only think of Leeds-based CITU in terms of sustainability, objectives and a will to continually innovate.

www.Sky-House.co