The new indoor pool, gym & sauna were designed to supplement the UK’s leading dog-friendly, 5 star luxury holiday accommodation. The earth-bermed structure blends into the landscape without causing detriment to the Area of Great Landscape Value. The design evolved from the site contours, which forms a natural bowl. The curve takes advantage of the attributes of the site including the SE aspect which enables the building to benefit from passive solar gains and views towards the River Camel. The building incorporates many sustainable principles such as super insulation, earth-bermed to 3 sides to reduce heating costs in the winter and help to keep the structure cool in the summer, passive solar gains in winter and solar shading in summer, space heating via a ground source heat pump with slinkies, pool heated via a heat exchanger and large solar thermal array, domestic hot water via solar and small boiler, ventilation and heat recovery system, natural light and natural ventilation to underground rooms, natural light to pool, low energy artificial lighting, biodiverse sedum roof which delays surface water runoff and locally sourced materials. Helsbury Park won the Gold Award at the Enjoy England Annual Awards, which puts them in the top 3% of self-catering accommodation in the UK.
