Deacon + Richardson Architects were appointed to design a mixed-use development on a steeply sloping site along South Coast Road in Peacehaven, combining supported living accommodation for adults with learning disabilities with market housing.

Following comprehensive site analysis and massing studies, we devised a strategy that responded to the site's topographical challenges while optimising sunlight, privacy, and access. The supported living block was positioned on the eastern boundary, with open spaces separating it from the market housing—which lines the northern, western, and southern edges of the site. These landscaped buffers soften the overall built form and support biodiversity.

The market housing comprises a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes, designed in response to local vernacular. Smaller homes are conceived as ‘one and a half’ storey dwellings, with first-floor rooms set within the roof slope. Larger dwellings are two-storey with traditional pitched roofs, and all units benefit from private gardens.

The supported living building steps down the hillside, reducing its visual impact by breaking the overall mass into two to four storeys, with the uppermost level set back. Fourteen of the twenty-two supported units are accessible from ground or first floor without a lift or stairs. Six units are fully wheelchair accessible, and the remaining sixteen are adaptable, ensuring long-term flexibility.

Communal and private garden spaces wrap the building, and a modest central car park serves all homes, including EV charging points and dedicated disabled bays.

A robust material palette ensures suitability for the marine environment and long-term durability:

– Zinc cladding

– Dual-tone brickwork

– Powder-coated aluminium windows

– Fibre cement slates

The result is a carefully considered, inclusive development that complements the coastal character of Peacehaven.