The new development brings a redundant brown field site back into positive use. Two gateways from Wharf Road offer public access to the basin for the first time. The basin is one of London’s largest areas of open water. It is a unique amenity. There are two shared gardens between the three wing buildings, these reflect the former docks, each having a direct relationship to the basin. These provide a range of hard and soft amenity spaces and play areas. Public art in the form of handcrafted bespoke bird sculptures has been incorporated within these gardens.
Planning History
Planning permission was granted in March 2015.
The design process involved extensive consultation with both Islington’s Planning and Housing Departments.
Three pre-application meetings were held and the scheme was presented to the Members’ Forum and to Islington’s Design Review Panel.
Just at the point of submission the planners insisted on two changes; that the ground floor elevations to the basin edge be amended to introduce front doors at ground floor level to activate this stretch of the towpath and that the brick-bond be amended to Flemish. The latter was ultimately not enforced.
Project Team
Architect: | Pollard Thomas Edwards |
Developer: | Family Mosaic |
Planning Authority: | London Borough of Islington |
Development Data
Site size (ha): | 0.426 |
Estimated date of completion: | 09/01/2017 |
Schedule of accommodation: | 1 bed flats x 18, 2 bed flats x 50, 3 bed flats x 22, 4 bed flats x 3, 3 bed houses x 2, 4 bed houses x 3 |
Tenure mix: | 80% affordable / 20% private |
Size of typical home: | 83 |
Parking spaces: | nil |
*All information published is as provided by the awards applicant