News

Weston Homes plans £100m London flats scheme

Volume house builder Weston Homes has bought part of a former textiles dyeing factory complex in south east London for a £100m multi-storey flats scheme.

South East London scheme forms part of the redevelopment of the Dylon textiles dyeing factory
South East London scheme forms part of the redevelopment of the Dylon textiles dyeing factory

The 4.6 acre Dylon factory site will be transformed with a 254 apartments scheme with, undercroft basement parking, and children’s play space  within landscaped gardens.

The site already benefits from full planning consent, granted last Spring, allowing construction to start next year on a 20-month build programme.

It forms the second phase of the redevelopment of the Dylon works following on from 223 built to Crest Nicholson undertaken in 2017.

The contemporary buildings are designed for first-time buyers and will have full-height windows, balconies and tiered roofscapes complete with feature London Yellow Stock brickwork, providing a connection to nearby residential buildings.

Bob Weston, Chairman and Manging Director at Weston Homes said: “This new outer London development is part of our ongoing major growth and expansion. The business has a highly diverse range of developments, including a series of major landmark schemes commencing and many others in the pipeline.”

Over the last five years, Weston Homes has purchased land sites for over £2 bn worth of residential and mixed-use development across outer London and the South East.

This includes 20 current active sites and over 7,500 new homes in the pipeline including traditional housing and large-scale urban regeneration projects.

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Ballymore puts in plans for major Royal Docks scheme

Ballymore has submitted a planning application for its latest major mixed-use quarter on the riverfront in London’s Royal Docks.

Redevlopment of the 6.1-ha UNEX-Thames Road Industrial Estate site will see construction of 1,610 new homes, including three-storey townhouses, lower blocks of six-to-nine storeys and taller blocks of between 15-to-18 storeys.

Alongside the new homes will be light industrial and commercial space and a two-form entry primary school. The proposal also features a major new public park along the river and community leisure facilities, such as a gym, outdoor pool, tennis court, rooftop running track and café.

If approved, construction of the masterplan designed by Glenn Howells Architects and HAL architects will start in 2023, with the site anticipated to complete 2027.

The site is currently occupied by several industrial warehouses, a concrete batching plant and a scrap yard. It was identified as suitable for mixed-use development in the Newham Local Plan 2018.

John Mulryan, Group Managing Director at Ballymore, said: “We look forward to continuing the regeneration story of this area of London as we have been able to define much of Newham’s riverfront through our Royal Wharf and Riverscape developments.

“As well as providing much-needed new homes for London, our vision is to create an area that excites and inspires, opening up the riverfront for everyone and forming a vibrant, dynamic and amenity-rich new neighbourhood.”

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Ballymore strikes deal for 2,800-home West London site

Ballymore and Sainsbury’s have agreed a strategic partnership to develop an 18 acre site at Ladbroke Grove in West London.

The site is one of the last major brownfield opportunities to be brought forward in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
The site is one of the last major brownfield opportunities to be brought forward in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

The Partnership’s ambitious masterplan for the project has capacity for up to 2,800 homes in a major mixed-use canal-side town centre with a forecast development value of £1.7bn.

The project will involve restoration of an historic canal basin, and a generous mix of retail, including a 130,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s, leisure, community and small business workspace.

As part of this project, a new 130,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s store will provide a fresh, modern approach to trading with increased capacity for home delivery services. The agreement will ensure continuity of trading within the existing store until the day the new store opens.

Sean Mulryan, Chairman of Ballymore, said: “Partnerships like this one show the type of innovative approach needed to tackle London’s housing shortage.

“We are pleased to be a step closer to submitting an application and realising our ambitions of a mixed-use scheme that will transform the area.

“We’ve commenced early consultation with local stakeholders and look forward to hearing directly from local people how they envisage the future site can best suit the needs of the local community”.

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Groveworld gets green light for £100m revamp of hospital site

Developer Groveworld has secured a resolution to grant planning permission from Camden Council to create new homes, office space and a hotel at 330 Gray’s Inn Road – the former home of the Royal Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, in King’s Cross.

Designs from architects AHMM include 72 high-quality homes alongside 14,000sqm of new innovative office space plus a public courtyard and 182-room hotel.

Groveworld’s Senior Development Manager Ross Jacobson said: “This is a significant milestone for an exciting project and our plans to revitalise 330 Gray’s Inn Road have been shaped by an extensive programme of engagement over the last 18 months with the London Borough of Camden and the local community.

“The designs will create an exciting new community that, aside from providing much-needed new homes for the borough, will deliver a mix of open spaces and high-quality facilities our residents and neighbours can enjoy.

“Our hope is that this will become an important site in the Knowledge Quarter as it continues to grow and flourish.”

 The lead architect for the project, AHMM Director Philip Turner added: “We have worked closely with Groveworld and Camden Council since May 2019, to develop an intricate masterplan of five buildings for 330 Gray’s Inn Road.

“The final plans represent an exemplary design that has sought to reflect the historical grain of the King’s Cross Conservation Area, and will offer something for everyone, from open spaces to high-quality leisure facilities and a state-of-the-art lifestyle hotel where new and existing residents will be able to work, relax and socialise with friends and family.”

The application will now be referred to the GLA and Groveworld hope to start works early next year as talks now begin with potential main contractors.

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900-home London Blackwall Yard towers approved

Developer Hadley Property Group has gained planning for a 900-home high-rise scheme next to the Blackwall Tunnel in East London.

Five blocks to be built around hsitoric graving dock
Five blocks to be built around hsitoric graving dock

The Blackwall Yard scheme will involve five buildings rising from nine and 39-storeys tall, around a listed graving dock on the north banks of the Thames.

Masterplanned by Glenn Howells, the 1.7ha site will feature 35% affordable homes, as well as a primary school, community hub and 1,500m2 commercial and retail spaces spread over the ground and lower levels.

Proposals include creating a direct public connection between the Thames Path and East India DLR.

The old graving dock will also feature an open-air swimming pool.

The historic graving dock will become an amphitheatre-style garden looking across the Thames to the Millennium Dome

Glenn Howells’ partner architects include Panter Hudspith and White Arkitekter with Blue Sky Building on board as project manager and Buro Happold acting as civil, structural and M&E engineer.

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£100m loan to unlock £3bn Canada Water scheme

Homes England and British Land have agreed a deal which will see the Government’s housing agency provide a £100m loan for infrastructure works at the vast Canada Water scheme in South London.

Enabling works are underway at British Land’s 53 acre, mixed-use scheme in Southwark, which will deliver up to 3,000 homes.

The Homes England funding will enable British Land to accelerate residential elements of its scheme by around three years.

Also British Land confirmed today that first phase building contracts will be placed with firms over the next few months.

Kier, Laing O’Rourke, Mace and Wates are understood to have been among the firms in talks with British Land to deliver the first three buildings on the 5m sq ft scheme.

First Phase 1 buildings at Canada Water

Plot K1 – a building solely for 79 affordable homes.

K1 plot plan for affordable housing designed by architect Morris + Company

Plot A1 – a 270,000 sq ft build for 186 homes

Adjacent to Canada Water station, plot A will consist of a 5-storey podium and 35 storeys of housing above

Plot A2 – a 250,000 sq ft office-led project including a 56,000 sq ft leisure centre

Offices and leisure situated next to the new residential tower

Roger Madelin, Joint Head of Canada Water, British Land, said: “We are pleased to be working with Homes England at Canada Water.

“Housing is central to our plan to deliver a new and vibrant town centre for London, where people can live and work and local communities can come together. Their support enables us to progress more quickly and is a testament to the quality of space we will deliver.”

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All phases of £161m north London housing scheme approved

Developer Countryside has gained planning approval for all four phases of its major housing regeneration scheme at Kilburn in North West London

Child Graddon Lewis Architects & Designers is the architect for Peel Place
Child Graddon Lewis Architects & Designers is the architect for Peel Place

Countryside will now lease the second and third phase of Peel Place to Home Group, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, at the end of this month.

The development designed by CGL Architects will deliver 308 new homes to the London Borough of Brent increasing the proportion of affordable homes on the site from 18% to 40% as well.

To benefit the local community and new residents, the approved plans include a health centre, gym, a new public plaza and retail and commercial spaces.

Daniel Layton, Managing Director, Partnerships North London, Countryside, said: “Having worked closely with our partners, Brent Council and Home Group, this is a significant milestone in the journey for Peel and the community in this part of the capital.”

Will Gardner, Director of Development at Home Group, said: “We are delighted to have been given the green light on such an important development for Brent. Peel will deliver much needed affordable housing, as well as community facilities. We are also looking forward to further strengthening the excellent partnership we enjoy with Countryside.”

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Planning for 1,000 homes at north west London hospital site

Housing association Network Homes has received planning for the next stage of a major development at Northwick Park Hospital in north west London.

Planned regeneration scheme of Northwich Hospital site in Brent
Planned regeneration scheme of Northwich Hospital site in Brent

Brent Council has granted outline permission for up to 1,600 new homes, as well as the student facilities, commercial space, and a replacement nursery across 19 buildings on the site.

Around 40% of the homes are for affordable tenures including Shared Ownership, London Living Rent, Intermediate Rent and London Affordable Rent.

Planning for a new access road and for phase one of development for 654 homes was granted back in December.

The overall transformation of Northwick park is being delivered through a partnership between Network Homes, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, Brent Council and the University of Westminster.

The plans will see Northwick Park turned into a landmark destination with new high-quality homes, a modernised university hospital, improved infrastructure, and transport connections, as well as improved public spaces and enhanced facilities for education and employment.

Bhupinder Singh Chawla, partner at architects PRP, said: “The masterplan is made up of different character areas that respond to the varying edges and contexts of the site.

“A variety of typologies from apartments, maisonettes, key worker homes and mews houses add further diversity. The masterplan also provides educational, sports leisure and commercial facilities and is supported further by a strong approach to the public realm and amenity on the site which all help to create an individual identity for this new place and destination.”

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£300m Albert Island London Docklands scheme approved

London and Regional Properties has gained outline planning to redevelop Albert Island to the east of London City Airport in the Royal Docks.

Developer London and Regional will deliver the scheme
Developer London and Regional will deliver the scheme

The scheme designed by Haworth Tompkins with Industrial Architect Ashton Smith will be delivered in several phases.

The 13ha site will be developed with a major long-term storage building, engineering education hub, double storey warehouse, and boatyard and pier.

Contractors will also restore full public access to the island.

The approval paves the way for site enabling works, demolition, utility diversions, installation of a pedestrian bridge and river wall works.

Technical design work for the first buildings is now underway, with an anticipated start on site in 2022.

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17-storey hybrid timber London tower gets green light

Transport for London has got the green light to build a 17 storey hybrid timber office building above Southwark Station in South London.

Hybrid timber building will achieve 40% reduction in embodied carbon
Hybrid timber building will achieve 40% reduction in embodied carbon

The net zero-carbon office development is designed to be one of the greenest and healthiest large-scale commercial buildings in the UK.

Designed by architect Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, the 75m tall building is a cross laminated timber design allowing it to also achieve industry-leading embodied carbon reductions of 40%.

The building will directly extract waste heat from the Tube station below to help heat it and minimise its energy consumption.

Alongside next-generation air source heat pumps, solar panels and high-performance building materials, the development will achieve a 44% reduction in operational carbon emissions.

Combined with green power purchasing agreements and carbon offsets, the building will achieve net zero at practical completion and enable its tenants to reduce their environmental footprint.

The 300,000 sq ft development is anticipated to be completed in the mid-2020s.

Scott Anderson, Head of Property Development at TfL, said: “It is fantastic that we have been given the go-ahead for our office and retail development above Southwark Tube.

“This world-class development will create a new landmark for this part of London whilst providing vital revenue to support public transport across London.

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