Set within the Surrey countryside, in an area where traditional style houses predominate this ultra-modern house represented a notable departure. However the planning application was voted through unanimously by the local planning committee. Mole Valley’s replacement dwelling policy placed severe volumetric restrictions on the scheme. The previous building had a large pitched roof and by opting for a flat-roofed modern design it was possible to provide a substantially larger house than that which had previously existed. Although initially resisted by the planners we argued that the house should be built with a full basement and ultimately they conceded the point. With a ground-source heat-pump, photo-voltaic array and waste water treatment plant, this house is extremely eco-friendly.