Incredible contemporary eco home for sale in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near Harrogate

To that end the couple employed Skipton-based Rural Solutions to help gain planning permission for the property and to design what is, without doubt, an architectural triumph in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. “We had to jump through a lot of hoops to get planning permission and it took us two-and-a-half years to build it,” says Mr Chapman.

The build, delayed by issues caused by the pandemic, was carried out by main contractor and project manager Keith Eccleton. A third of the property is set underground and its dry stone walls are topped with a sedum roof that mimics the contours of the surrounding land.

Heavily insulated, the house is warmed by ground source heat and features a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system, along with rainwater harvesting. Rural Solutions say: “The project was designed to blend into the landscape, using local, natural materials to create a beautiful home anchored in nature.”

“Everyone who sees it, loves it and I am proud of it,” says Mr Chapman, who admits that the biggest surprise is that he and he wife have decided to sell the house rather than move in. “The plan was to sell our farm and move into the eco house but building this property made us realise how much we would miss our land, where we keep horses and chickens.”

The new home, on the market with Carter Jonas for £2.25m, is named Fringill Dike House after one of the Chapmans’ racehorses, which is trained by Jedd O’Keeffe in Middleham.

The property has over 6,000 sq.ft of pace and is approached via a lengthy private driveway over a bridge which gently winds past a grassed field to the parking and turning area in front of the integral double garaging.

Inside the house, oak steps lead down from the hallway into the incredible 53 ft long kitchen space with full length, floor-to ceiling glazing framing the views beyond. A bank of bespoke cabinets offer plenty of storage and there is a large central island unit with breakfast bar and a seating area.

There is ample room for dining and sitting areas within this impressive space. Off the kitchen is a separate dual aspect living room with floor to ceiling glazing overlooking gardens. The ground floor also has a study, cloakroom, utility room, storage room and an integral double garage.

Upstairs, are four bedrooms with ensuites and an impressive principal bedroom suite with stunning views, glazed roof lantern, dressing room and luxurious ensuite. On the lower ground floor, there are two large rooms and a shower room plus sauna, cloakroom and plant room. The gardens and grounds are in just over one-and-a-half acres and there is a sun terrace stretching the entire width of the rear of the property.

*The pleasant Nidderdale village of Darley offers a village shop, sports field, public house and primary school. The property is a short drive from the spa town of Harrogate and the popular Dales town of Pateley Bridge. Both towns offer a varied selection of restaurants, cafes, shops and facilities, plus further schooling for primary and secondary ages. The surrounding areas boast some of Britain's most beautiful, tranquil countryside, gardens and parks.

For details of the sale contact: Carter Jonas, Harrogate, tel: 01423 523423, www.carterjonas.co.uk