Project Details
- Client Name: Thurrock Council
- Project Value: £12.2m
- Sector: Residential
- Services: Architecture, Building services engineering, Energy and environmental consultancy, Principal designer
- Key partners: TBC
- Contact: Michelle Minogue – 020 8294 1000
A key strategic development for Thurrock Council, this project will provide 53 homes arranged around a new focal point for Chadwell St Mary.
A mixture of unit sizes is proposed to respond to the differing needs of the community. The new dwellings will be a mix of one and two-bedroom bungalows, one and two-bedroom flats and larger three-bedroom family houses.
A well-located site
The site covers 1.84ha and is situated on an open green space in the centre of Chadwell St Mary, at the junction of Brentwood Road and Claudian Way.
The existing site has limited value in terms of landscape character and is in close proximity to the much larger Orsett Heath recreation ground.
The site is well-located in relation to existing schools, open space, public transport, community facilities and employment. Further services and employment opportunities can be found in nearby Grays and Tilbury which are easily accessible via public transport.
minimising impact
The main influences on the site layout are a desire to respond to its location within the open space, the existing statutory services, the proximity of neighbouring residential units and the need to meet local highway standards.
The scheme has been designed in a way which is sensitive to the existing open green areas – it is intended that the proposed development will appear as a natural and logical infill to the existing residential development of Chadwell St Mary.
The design intent is to enhance and reinforce the character of the area. The scheme will respect the character of Chadwell St. Mary but will not seek to replicate it. With a total of 53 dwellings the development will be able to generate its own distinctive character.
To minimise the impact of the development, the proposed buildings are generally kept to low storey heights. Most of the dwellings will be two-storey along Brentwood Road and single-storey dwellings are proposed adjacent to the existing properties of Daniel Close.
Meeting community needs
In terms of public consultation, Thurrock Council launched a consultation exercise in September 2015 for the development proposals, which allowed the design team to gain a detailed understanding of the opportunities and constraints of the area.
The consultation exercise produced a variety or responses and there were a number of areas of general agreement.
The vast majority of residents that attended the library exhibitions and the Chadwell Forums agreed that the Claudian Way site was suitable for residential development and favoured an approach which included bungalows and a small mixture of flats and family houses.
For the majority, this approach met the needs of the local community but also gave existing residents the confidence that they would not be overlooked by the proposed new buildings.
High quality and affordable
In summary, the current scheme has been designed to provide a site-specific response to deliver a 100% affordable high quality residential development, connecting to adjacent buildings and streets, whilst avoiding any negative impact on the surrounding area and neighbouring properties.
Planning approval was granted for the proposals in April 2017, the scheme is being developed with a start on site planned for early 2018.
