New Mixed-Use Sustainable Development for Walthamstow’s Action Area Plan
Adopted in 2014, Walthamstow’s Action Area Plan is a long term strategy to deliver a high quality shopping and visitor destination making the most of unique development opportunities, creating a sustainable neighbourhood. One such new example is the proposed redevelopment of a corner site to the north of the town centre on Hoe Street designed by Mark Fairhurst Architects recently submitted for planning consent.
The locality is characterised by a vibrant mix of independent retailers, chain shops and a range of smaller premises. The site is easily accessible with close proximity to Walthamstow Central underground station as well as Walthamstow Queen’s Road, St. James Street and Walthamstow Queen’s Road train stations.
The proposed scheme consists of a new retail unit at ground level facing Hoe Street with servicing to one side with 9 residential flats above including 2 family sized units along with 1 and 2-bedroom flats. Located at the intersection of three roads bookending the block with the recent re-development at 1 Hoe Street the proposed massing respects the existing context by aligning the front façade and stepping down in height to the Victorian frontage and is offset from the existing houses to the rear. The third floor is set back creating a roof level vertical mansard recessively framing the main façade minimising the impact on the street scene and respecting the amenity to the neighbouring buildings.
Overlooking and over shadowing has been carefully avoided avoided through the successive stepping of the rear façade. These are occupied by a series of terraces with obscured glazed privacy screens allowing outlook from the rooms but preventing overlooking into and from neighbouring properties.
The building’s main elevations are composed of a pale yellow stock brick clad grid of regular spaced piers and expressed slab levels, the material complementing the existing brick terraced houses within the surrounding context. The building’s bays are subdivided with brick feature panels and modular glazing; the roof level is clad with pre-weathered timber to eliminate uneven staining. Emphasis is given to the corner with cantilevered recessed balconies providing dual aspect views at all levels.
Overall, the combination of the massing and proposed materials will create a vibrant, bright and contemporary addition to the area. It will enhance and improve this under-utilised existing mixed use residential and commercial building through providing high quality retail and residential accommodation in line with the objectives of the Walthamstow Action Area Plan.
