927 High Road
Project: 927 High Road
Location: Chadwell Heath, London
Client: B&B Homes Ltd
Status: Planning application submitted
The brief
Located within the Crossrail corridor, Chadwell Heath is fast developing and set to undergo significant regeneration as a new commuter neighbourhood. The site benefits from a central location and is surrounded by amenities meaning it is ideal for a high quality, mixed-use development.
The design proposal seeks to bring positive socioeconomic change by regenerating the now vacant site, previously a used car dealership, with 53 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, 268m² commercial/retail space and associated landscaping.
The approach
Understanding that the area is entering an exciting and transformative time with Crossrail facilitating journeys into central London in less than half an hour, our approach was to propose a development that will help re-define its character. Occupying a prominent corner location on the High Road, we aimed to celebrate this with a visually appealing building that will provide high quality homes, employment opportunities and a pedestrian focused street frontage.
Our aspiration is this scheme will be one of the first in the neighbourhood to be developed, therefore acting as a catalyst for others. As such, it was conceptualised as part of a wider theoretical masterplan, including giving consideration to the adjacent site on the northern boundary. To avoid sterilising this land, our proposal has a blank elevation on the northwest corner, where a future residential block could connect.
Our design
Responding to Redbridge’s local plan, our design aims to reflect the area’s emerging character with a development of increased height, structured façade and traditional brick palette. Featuring a nine-storey building with a pronounced corner element, the massing tapers down in three phases and includes an expressed grid façade. Grey and white brick form the base material palette with different colour mortar to allow for subtle variations in the façade whilst precast stone elements are used to define the banding and fenestration.
The majority of units are dual aspect and all have private amenity space. In line with the New London Plan, all apartments are adaptable and 11% are fully wheelchair accessible. The roof of the development features a spacious communal garden while the ground floor has a children’s play area. To encourage sustainable transport, the scheme is designed with 93 cycle storage spaces and is car free, except for two accessible spaces.
The Results
A planning application for 927 High Road was submitted in April 2022 following a successful pre-application process.
A decision is expected (when?). This scheme is one of a series of sites we’re developing with this client in the London Borough of Redbridge.