The pictures in this section are taken from the plans which were approved (subject to a few conditions) on January 24th 2007. The notes along side each picture describe some of the design decisions. Further information about the processes prior to planning permission approval can be found here.

The shape of the top floor is dominated by the sloping ceilings. The small size and building regulations concerning head space above stairwells made this the hardest aspect of the design. I went through a dozen layouts and settled on this. The kitchen is in the centre as I think kitchens should be circulation spaces. That way you can move past some one else in the kitchen without feeling in the way. This is the opposite of a living area which would feel like a corridor it was placed between the stairs and any other space.
The bedroom and home office are on the ground floor. The light and ceiling shape of the first floor made it more suitable for a kitchen and living area. The fire escape parts of the building regs. require the windows to be usable as a means of escape. Pretty ridiculous considering the position of the front door but as this has to be the case as there isn't a door between the entrance hall and living area upstairs.
At present there isn't a basement, just an inspection pit so this will have to be dug out. The basement only uses some of the floor space and uses a stepped wall on the neighbour's side. This is to simplify the structural engineering and complexities with the neighbouring building.
The wall facing the neighbouring building must be high enough to preserve their privacy. The other sides of the patio (at the request of the planning department) are stone work to match the rest of the building.
The oval window at the end will be preserved. I think it is quite an important character of the building.
The patio end.
The light blue lines on the first floor are wooden thruses holding up the roof. They naturally separate the kitchen from other areas. The stepped retaining wall by the bathroom is also clearer in this section.