Design Overview
River Road Villa is a major extension and renovation to an existing home on a flood-affected 645 m² property in Leonay, overlooking the Nepean River. The design adds a first-floor extension, additional family living spaces, alfresco entertaining and a swimming pool. Strict limits on ground-floor additions required careful planning to achieve the owners' brief while retaining the original residence.
DA & CC Approval - Penrith City Council
More About This Project
The Brief
Major Home Extension on a Flood-Affected Property in Leonay
River Road Villa involved extending and renovating an existing single-storey home on a 645 m² corner block in Leonay, overlooking the Nepean River, Penrith.
The owners wanted additional bedrooms, bathrooms and family living areas, together with a rumpus room, walk-in pantry, alfresco entertaining area and swimming pool.
They also wanted to make better use of the river views while improving the layout and appearance of their existing home.
The main challenge was the property's flood restrictions. The existing floor level was below the nominated flood planning level, which significantly limited how much additional enclosed living space could be built on the ground floor.
We needed to find a way to provide the extra accommodation without exceeding those restrictions.
The Design Response
Working Around the 35 m² Ground-Floor Flood Restriction
The flood planning controls restricted the additional enclosed ground-floor area to a maximum of 35 m².
We carefully worked through the existing floor plan and identified an opportunity to remove the old rear laundry, which occupied 4.41 m².
This allowed us to accommodate a new rumpus room, walk-in pantry and bay window to the guest bedroom while keeping the net additional ground-floor area to 34.99 m².
Rather than compromising the owners' accommodation requirements, we incorporated most of the additional living space into a new first-floor extension.
Adding a First Floor for More Family Living Space
The new upper level provides three bedrooms, bathrooms and an additional sitting area.
This arrangement substantially increased the home's accommodation without requiring a large ground-floor extension.
We also considered the position of the new upper-storey walls and windows to reduce overshadowing and maintain privacy for neighbouring properties.
The result was a larger, more practical family home that worked within the site's flood planning restrictions.
Making the Most of Nepean River Views and Northern Sunlight
One of the property's main advantages was its outlook towards the Nepean River.
We arranged the front living spaces to take advantage of those views while positioning the main rear family living area to capture north-western winter sunlight.
This provides different living areas with their own outlook and natural light throughout the day.
The orientation also allowed us to incorporate passive solar design principles into the renovated home.
Connecting the Home with Outdoor Entertaining
The owners wanted more than just additional internal rooms.
We incorporated covered alfresco and verandah areas, together with an inground swimming pool, to create usable outdoor entertaining spaces.
The new outdoor areas connect with the ground-floor living spaces and rear garden, providing additional room for family gatherings and entertaining.
The design also retained generous private open space despite the substantial extension.
Project Outcome
Development Application for a Flood-Affected Home Extension | Penrith City Council
River Road Villa was designed and documented for Development Application assessment through Penrith City Council, with particular attention to the property's flood planning restrictions.
The design accommodated a substantial first-floor addition while limiting the net enclosed ground-floor extension to 34.99 m².
The completed renovation provides additional bedrooms, bathrooms, family living spaces, alfresco entertaining and a swimming pool.
The home also benefits from improved natural light, better connections between indoor and outdoor spaces and views towards the Nepean River.
By carefully working within the flood restrictions, we were able to substantially enlarge the existing home without needing to demolish and rebuild.
Project Gallery Click Image to Enlarge
