Woburn- Breaking Ground
Woburn Sands Site Diary — Entry One
From a Piece of Land to the Foundations of a Family Home
Every self-build has its own story, and our new project in Woburn Sands began with an interesting change of direction.
Our clients approached us after finding a beautiful piece of land in an area they already knew and loved. The site had previously received planning permission for a particular house, but the approved design didn’t feel right for them or reflect how they wanted to live. During the early stages, it became clear that this planning permission had lapsed giving us the opportunity to reconsider the site and begin with a fresh design.
Rather than asking our clients to adapt their lives to an existing house, we began designing a home around them.
Now proud grandparents, family time is central to their lives. They wanted a welcoming home where their children and grandchildren could spend time comfortably, while also creating spaces that work beautifully for everyday life as a couple. Their enjoyment of golf, their connection to Woburn Sands and the way they hope to live in the years ahead have all helped shape the brief.
Working alongside Jamie, Davidson Group, our aim is to create a home that feels personal and practical: somewhere designed not simply to look beautiful, but to support daily routines, shared occasions and a new chapter of family life.
The proposed design combines a characterful, traditional form with generous glazing and carefully considered contemporary details. The layout has been planned to support relaxed family gatherings and create a strong connection with the garden. Externally, the varied roofline, dormer windows and carefully selected mix of materials will give the house its own identity while allowing it to sit comfortably within its leafy setting.
The First Month on Site
The first month has already seen the project move from plans on paper to something very real.
Work began with setting out the new home and excavating the foundation trenches. Watching the footprint of the house emerge from the ground is always an important moment it is the first time the scale, positioning and shape of the design can truly be understood on site.
Once the trenches had been dug and checked, the foundations were installed, creating the structural base for the new home. The below-ground drainage has also now been completed, carefully coordinating the routes and connections before the next stages of construction begin.
These early works may eventually be hidden beneath the finished house, but they are among the most important parts of the entire build. Getting the foundations and drainage right establishes a sound starting point for everything that follows.
In just one month, the site has progressed through three significant milestones:
The foundation trenches have been excavated.
The foundations have been installed.
The below-ground drainage has been completed.
With this essential groundwork now in place, the footprint of the house is becoming visible and the project is ready to begin rising out of the ground.
Following the Journey
Our clients have very kindly agreed to let us document their project as it develops. We thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to share an honest account of what it takes to create a bespoke home, from the initial brief and planning process through to construction and, eventually, completion.
As with every build, there will inevitably be challenges, unexpected discoveries and decisions to make along the way. Rather than sharing only the polished final result, we’ll also show how the project evolves, the problems we encounter and the solutions developed by the project team.
We hope you’ll follow along as this very personal Woburn Sands home takes shape.
Welcome to the Woburn Sands Site Diary.
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