Planning Permission Granted

New sustainable social housing development

Archadia’s design of a new sustainable social housing development in Enfield is given the go ahead, planning permission granted last week!

Archadia is pleased to announce that on the 28th August 2008 planning permission was granted by LB Enfield for the redevelopment of Cyril Smith and Stratheden Housing development on a corner plot between Green Lanes, Broomfield Road and Bridge Drive in Palmers Green in Enfield. The design and concept of the scheme is particularly unusual because it provides accommodation for both older people and people of all ages with disabilities.

The aesthetic impact of the building is a significant feature of the new development. The corner towers, with their striking energy producing roofs, give architectural emphasis to the crossroads at the junctions of Broomfield Road with Green Lanes and Bridge Drive. The building’s strongly articulated façade expresses the presence of the flats themselves and the use of a mixture of external surfaces including timber and terracotta rain screen cladding, an insulated render system and face brick will give interesting visual contrast whilst remaining sympathetic to the context of the surrounding environment.

Archadia’s plans for the scheme set a precedent for contemporary social housing design which is both environmentally friendly and sustainable. The new building will incorporate two solar energy producing towers and geothermal piles which will provide energy for under floor heating in both the communal rooms and the individual flats. Code level 4 under the code for sustainable homes will also be achieved.

The development will feature 20 one bedroom sheltered flats for older people, 6 two bedroom flats for wheelchair users and a 2 bedroom flat for the scheme manager who will live on site and be available to assist all residents. The building will replace the existing Cyril Smith House and Stratheden’s 19 bedsit flats with a range of living accommodation for both groups of people. The current tenants will be offered first choice to return upon completion.

The provision of a resident scheme manager is unusual at a time when the trend is towards non residential staff. However, there has been a desire to respond to the existing tenants’ preference for the retention of resident staff and the innovative combination in one complex of the two user groups, both with support needs, has made this financially viable.

The project is funded by the Housing Corporation and owned by Christian Action Housing Association who will provide the flats on a rental basis to residents. The flats will be equipped with all the necessary amenities including a level access wet room. The new development will be the first to incorporate specially designed kitchen windows, which will consist of predominantly obscured glazing with clear glass edges to allow residents to retain privacy whilst also facilitating visual checking supervision when welfare concerns have been raised. There will be separate entrances on the street for the disabled and the older people, which will give a sense of privacy and within the building there will also be ample communal spaces and a wheelchair user friendly garden aimed at enhancing the residents’ quality of life.

The building will provide a range of safety and security features, including a visual and audio door entry system and emergency call facilities. It will achieve ‘Secured by Design’ standards. Residents will be able to enjoy a high level of independence and convenient access to nearby public transport and local amenities which will encourage self-sufficiency.

Patrick Manwell, Director of Archadia comments ‘This is an interesting example of multi generational housing more akin to some of the accommodation provided in other parts of Europe’.