Full Breakdown
Fomorian House Approved on Ilkley Moor
By Drooid · · How we work
Approval of the Fomorian House on Ilkley Moor
A contemporary residence named Fomorian has received approval from the HM Planning Inspectorate for construction on green-belt land in the garden of an existing property off Heber’s Ghyll Drive, Ilkley, West Yorkshire. The scheme, designed by architect Matt Masserella-Gill for landowner David Rasche, mimics the nearby Cow and Calf Rocks and will incorporate large irregular-shaped windows, a courtyard, and a natural outdoor pool. The building is required to meet Passivhaus ultra-low-energy standards.
Planning Process and Green-Belt Context
The original application was submitted to Bradford Council, which failed to decide within the statutory period, triggering an appeal to the HM Planning Inspectorate. The inspectorate approved the plans in August under the “country house clause,” which permits development on green-belt sites only when the design is “truly outstanding” and “significantly enhances its immediate setting.” The site lies within the South Pennine Moors Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, a Special Area of Conservation, and a newly designated National Nature Reserve. Ilkley Town Council opposed the proposal, labeling the house a “visual anomaly to the moorland” and raising concerns about its location.
Architectural Vision and Expert Endorsements
The architects describe the design as a series of monolithic elements embedded in the earth, intended to echo the moor’s geology and folklore. Independent reviewers have praised the project as a potential benchmark for responsive, site-specific architecture in the north of England.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The design approach was to propose a scheme that is intrinsically linked to the spirit of its place. Fomorian is of its place, part of the moors, its geology and its spirit.” — Ilkley Moor. Masserella-Gill, the architect
- “Taking cues from the surrounding rocks and escarpments synonymous with the landscape, the building depicts a series of monolithic elements embedded in the earth as the wild, dramatic environment looms around, attempting to overcome them.” — Ric Blenkharn, Architect - Fellow of the RIBA & Panel Member for Design Yorkshire
- “This could be one of the most exciting buildings in the north of England” — Jerene Irwin, Architect - Independent Peer Reviewer & Chair of RIBA East
- “This unreservedly meets the criteria for outstanding and exceptional architecture and is exactly the sort of building we should see built to serve as a model for site-specific and responsive design” — Independent Design Review Panel