Paragraph 84: Exceptional Homes in the Countryside Explained

Paragraph 84 formed the next evolution of an aspirational national planning policy first established in 1997. Succeeding Paragraph 80, and before that Paragraphs 79 and 55 and PPS7, the policy continued to provide an exceptional opportunity for new isolated dwellings in the open countryside where proposals could demonstrate truly outstanding architectural quality.

The requirements of Paragraph 84 set a high bar for architects, and rightly so. Proposals were required to be truly outstanding, reflect the highest standards in architecture, help raise standards of design more generally in rural areas and significantly enhance their immediate setting.

Hawkes Architecture’s extensive experience across successive generations of this policy has shaped a sensitive and creative approach to exceptional rural design. Each project undergoes rigorous examination throughout its development, from inception and planning through technical design and construction. Paragraph 84 has now been succeeded by HO11, where the fundamental architectural test continues.