Couple to build 'outstanding' home inspired by legend on edge of Ilkley Moor
Finding a modern home for their retirement proved so difficult for David and Diane Rasche that they decided to build one themselves.
Their solution is a far cry from the conventional downsizing project they might have envisaged.
The couple, both 77, have secured planning permission for Fomorian, an extraordinary rock-inspired house, in the grounds of their current home on the edge of Ilkley Moor, that has been hailed as potentially one of the most exciting buildings in the north of England.
Inspired by the area's dramatic geology and the legend of Rombald the Giant, the design comprises angular stone-clad forms that appear to emerge from the earth. It is an ambitious undertaking for a couple approaching their eighth decade, but one they hope to see through over the next few years.
“We didn't imagine that we would do something like this,” says David, explaining how the idea came about. We wanted to find a modern home but most of the existing properties in Ilkley are old. One day we just thought, well, we've got 14 acres here. We've got fabulous views, why don't we build something?”
The couple have lived in their current home for 16 years and want to remain close to their family, with two of their children's families and four of their seven grandchildren living within a mile.
They also wanted a house that would suit them as they grew older, with single-storey living and lower running costs. What they had not anticipated was the scale of the planning challenge ahead.
The site is in the green belt on the edge of the moor, close to ecologically protected areas, the Bradford Pennine National Nature Reserve and scheduled monuments. The land had no existing buildings or previous planning permission.
The couple appointed Shaw & Jagger Architects, a Harrogate practice with experience of securing permission for exceptional contemporary country houses under HO11(1)e, the so-called country house clause. The policy allows isolated homes in the countryside where their design is judged to be truly outstanding and sensitive to their setting.
Architect Matt Massarella-Gill, who led the project, says an initial approach to Bradford Council suggested the bar would be exceptionally high.
In the end, the planning inspector found that the design's merits outweighed the potential harm and permission was granted in August under policy HO11(1)e and green belt very special circumstances of the National Planning Policy Framework.
Matt spent several days modelling the forms by hand with plasticine before developing them digitally. The challenge was to create something that felt rooted in its surroundings rather than a contrived imitation of a rocky landscape. The resulting house, playfully nicknamed ‘the batcave’ by the couple’s grandchildren, will be arranged around a sheltered courtyard garden, with large irregular windows framing views across the valley. Its four bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, sitting room and study will be contained within the sculptural forms, which will be clad predominantly in local gritstone.
The building has been designed to Passive House standards, with high levels of thermal efficiency and a layout that allows the couple to close off unused parts of the house. The plans also promise a biodiversity net gain of more than 70 per cent – well above the required 10 per cent - alongside lighting designed to follow dark-sky principles.
The independent Design Yorkshire panel, which reviewed the proposals, is enthusiastic about the project. Architect Ric Blenkharn describes it as potentially “one of the most exciting buildings in the north of England”, while the planning inspector calls the design “truly outstanding” and says it will help raise standards of rural architecture.
David, who has spent his career leading and growing IT businesses, says the project represents a new legacy. “I spent my life running businesses in Yorkshire and I’m proud of what I've done there,” he says. “But with this design I'm more likely to be remembered for the house than my career.”
The couple are now working towards the next stage, with structural engineering appointments and approvals for materials, landscaping and other planning conditions to be completed. They hope to begin construction in spring, although David acknowledges that building such an unusual house could take time.
Neither is short of enthusiasm. David is keen to see the design take shape, while Diane is already anticipating the kitchen, furniture, tiles and finishes. After three years of persistence, the couple are finally moving towards making it a reality. “We love it,” says David.