Last week I welcomed Jas Athwal, the Leader of Redbridge to our Gardner Close scheme in Wanstead. The site, less than 0.2 acres in size had been home to a set of council owned garages which had been collecting white goods.
Using Pocket’s typology we had been able to build 20 new affordable homes all sold to local people living or working in Redbridge. Jas was thrilled to meet a local resident who was very house proud.
Background to Gardner Close
It took us around five years to get our first Redbridge scheme built but it was worth every moment to see the excited looks on the new residents’ faces. They have a cracking external amenity space where they enjoyed a barbeque and an opportunity to meet and greet for new owners hosted by Pocket. That way we get the residents quickly fostering a community mindset and it means for us we can manage the building more effectively in partnership with them.
Small sites such as Gardner Close on brownfield sites represent part of the answer to the housing crisis. If we want to protect the integrity of the greenbelt than we must expect and welcome infilling of our urban areas. This doesn’t however mean spoiling the urban environment and dumping tall buildings into every corner of London.
Pocket brought in Stirling Prize architects Haworth Tompkins to design Gardners Close. Its simple russet coloured brick pallet with metal work features and lovely punched windows blends in well with the immediate environment. There is nothing complex about the building but through simplicity and elegance it is a net gain to immediate area.
The challenge
London is lucky in some ways compared to other cities. There is already a thriving sector of built environment professionals able to take on small complex sites. Pocket is one option but there are others too and its great to see Councils stepping up too.
Other cities with similar challenges are very far behind. Bristol for instance has begun talking about Gap Housing but it will be a few years before we see this kind of development at scale. What’s happening in London needs to be replicated in other towns and cities facing similar population pressures. London alone can’t carry the country’s burdens.
All that being said there are still big challenges. The planning system isn’t geared up to deal with infill sites and often despite political support, we are slowed down by complex tenure arguments and viability testing which shouldn’t be necessary. If a site can yield good quality, attractive homes and delivers an affordable offer which is a gain to the local area then why are we arguing!
I am someone who doesn’t think the planning system needs dramatic reform. A bit of fine tuning and more capacity and resourcing at the local authority end will get us there. On the fine tuning, a recognition that small sites should experience a different planning playbook will do much to get more housing in the system. Let me know what you think.
