Introduction

Tower Hamlets Council / Why we need to build

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Introduction

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“We face considerable challenges in delivering really affordable homes for local people. These include the very high local cost of housing, a chronic shortage of stock and a growing population. We welcome the signifi cant regeneration taking place in the borough and the role this plays in transforming Tower Hamlets. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that for increasing numbers of people who grew up in the borough, the possibility of renting or buying a local home has been very diffi cult.”

Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs

HEREFORD STREET

LOCKSLEY SITES

JUBILEE STREET

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BARONESS ROAD

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The London-wide housing crisis is acute in Tower Hamlets

• The Council has more than 19,000 people on its waiting list for housing with nearly 10,000 of those in acute housing need. The Council can only grant around 1800 new tenancies a year at present.

• Private sector rents are now way beyond the reach of families on low incomes, around 3 times as much as social rents and beyond Housing Benefi t maximum allowances.

• Tenancies are let on a short term basis which does not provide any longer term security

• Nearly 2000 households have been placed in temporary accommodation awaiting an offer of permanent housing from the Council

• 60% of local residents struggle to meet their housing costs

The Council must tackle the lack of affordable homes. With it’s partners, the council has embarked on a new build programme that aims to deliver 5,500 new affordable homes for local people over the 2014 - 2018 period.

One of the ways we are doing this is to build new homes on land that the council owns. We call these “in-fi ll” sites.

Four infi ll sites form part of this particular scheme to provide affordable homes by March 2018

The sites identifi ed for development include:

1. Baroness Road

2. Hereford Estate

3. Jubilee St

4. Locksley Estate

During the design process the council will consult with local residents to ensure the new developments are designed with the community, for the community.

H e r e f o r d S t r e e t

Hereford Street

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V a l l a n c e R o a d

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View of the garages to the South of the site

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View towards the Grade II listed church, from the garden adjacent to the site

View of the site from the garden adjacent to it View of the site from the South

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Hereford Street

c bing maps copyright 2015. All rights reserved.

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View of a building to the North-West of the site View of the East facade of Westhope House, adjacent to the site

View of Kingsham House View of Westhope House

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Site Opportunities

Site History

Tower Hamlets Homes / Hereford Estate

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1948 Ordnance Survey

By 1827 the site had been developed with terraced housing. This remained unchanged until the 1950s when the area was redeveloped.

The 1939-45 London County Council Bomb Damage Map shows the site undamaged. Therefore the post-war removal of housing seems to be as part of a slum clearance rather than due to damage sustained in the Blitz, however the area still has a low/medium UXO probability rating.

1813 Ordnance Survey

The site was undeveloped. To the north was terraced housing on Bethnal Green Road. To the West was the 18th Century Church of St Matthews and associated yard.

The Church of St Matthew is now Grade II* listing. It was built in 1743-46 to the designs of George Dance the Elder, following the unrealised ambitions of the 50 Churches Commission of

building. Its interior was repaired after the war by J. Anthony Lewis.

1961 - 1963 Ordnance Survey

During the 1950s the surrounding area was

terraced housing to the east, replaced by the open space of Weavers Fields. Two 10-storey blocks were constructed, Westhope House and Kinsham House, with an area of communal open space between them.

Due to the former uses of the site, risk of contamination of the ground and groundwater is considered low.

window to facade

sun path

gas line

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V a l l a n c e R d

WESTHOPEHOUSE

KINSHAMHOUSE

playground

enclosedcommunal garden

mature trees

to St Matthews Church

good outlook

pedestrian route

unknown service

pram sheds

CTV box

storm relief sewer

56.3m

15.5

m

source of noise and pollution

electric line

CATV line

increase passive surveillance

CTV boxCATV line

increase passive surveillance

glazed elevations towards the park

Taller blocks coveringblank facades

balconies looking towards Weavers Fields

Vertical divisionresponding to context

double height entrance

• Taller blocks against Westhope and Kinsham House gables

• Lower blocks matching the heights of their neighbouring buildings on Vallance Road

• Completing the street frontage around Weavers Fields

Tower Hamlets Homes / Hereford Estate. Proposal

Proposal / Perspectives & Diagrams

lower blocks letting sunlight going through thecommunal garden

no balconies on this sideavoiding vis - a - vis access decks

mainly only shadowing the area between the new blocks

extended playground

axis enhanced

passive surveillanceincreased

new trees in the communal garden

• More quite and private feeling garden as it is less visible from the road

• Providing more overlooking to limit ASB

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27.80 m

ST MATTHEW’SCHURCH

WESTHOPE HOUSE 10 storey

60’s RESIDENTIAL

BLOCK

DERBYSHIRE STROW HOUSESKINSHAM HOUSE 10 storey

PATH TO RAMSEY ST

Existing from Vallance Road Proposal from Vallance Road

27.80 m 29 m 29 m

• Sunlight is maintained as the new blocks are South - North orientated

• New trees planted to replace the removed ones

• running from the St. Matthews Church to Weavers Fields

• Entrance doors on Vallance Road to create a more active street

• Balconies positioned with views of the park, which can reduce ASB.

• Also avoiding direct vis-a-vis with Westhope House balconies and Kinsham House deck access

Key Design Principles

• To respect the historical and architectural character of the estate.

• High quality design

• Better access routes betwenn the church and the park

• Environmentally sensitive

• Materiality of permanence and longevity

• a building residents can be proud of.

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• Maintain views to Weavers Fields

Tower Hamlets Homes / Hereford Estate. Proposal

Proposal / Plans & Diagram N

Proposal

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Existing

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Key Facts

• 48 housing units (originally 60)

• 100% affordable housing

• 10% disabled units (5)

• 5-9 storeys

• Built to modern housing standards

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• Trees and open space lost to be reprovided

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is

for affordable housing together with improving several open space on Hereford Estate.

Overall, the proposal includes 1119 sqm of new open space, highlighted in red in the plan. These improved areas would compensate the loss of green space on site as the actual footprint of the two blocks is 922 sqm.

Besides providing more green space and play area, this proposal would also make an overall improvement of the landscaping on the

rationalisation of the car park area to the East of Ramsey Street, a new path between Ramsey Street and Vallance Road and more secured storage space into the new blocks replacing the

Tower Hamlets Council / Hereford Estate. Resident Consultation

Resident Consultation 1Site Allocation

Submit Planning Application

Resident Consultation 2

Design Development

Expected Planning Decision

Expected Start on Site

Expected Practical

Completion

January2016

April2016

July2016

September2016

March2018

PLANNING APPLICATION

Resident Consultation 3Final Designs

March2016

August2015

PLANNING APPLICATION

Programme dates/ When you can have your say

Residents will have the opportunity to share their ideas through the statutory consultation process.

This will consist of three rounds. Each round will be over 2 days to ensure everybody gets a chance to have their say.

Design Precedents and local inspiration

Residents will be presented with the allocated site

Residents concerns ideas are taken into account to develop the design including massing and plan layout. This will be presented to residents during consultation 2.

with elevation design, their comments will be taken into account prior to submitting the planning application.

Residents have the opportunity to comment on the planning application once it is submitted to the Local Planning Authority.

We want to hear your opinion on.....

• Your estate. What do you like or dislike about it?

• Access

• Security

• Materials for the new development. Brick? Concrete?

• Shape and form of the proposal

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• Planting