Picture caption: A Thameslink train. Picture credit: Sam on Unsplash
Can you fit 368 homes on an extremely narrow strip of land in north London? Apparently you can, if those homes are packed into six towers, on a site that ranges from 13m to 26m wide, and is 900m long. Stage one planning permission has been issued for this challenging plot on the site of Hendon Goods Yard in Barnet. The scheme also includes a 243-bed hotel and a 246-bed student block.
Building work cannot begin until the existing Toyota maintenance facility has been demolished, meaning the project is expected to take almost nine years to complete. Architect Arney Fender Katsalidis (AFK) has designed a two-storey podium with colonnades and a glazed frontage, with towers ranging from 19 to 29 storeys atop the podium.
With the project sandwiched between the M1 and the Thameslink rail line, north of Hendon station, the work needs to be carefully planned to avoid disruption. A maximum of three towers will be under construction at any one time. Construction work is expected to continue until mid-2034.
Despite the site’s narrowness, it’s a huge project, with up to 500 staff expected to be on site. Alongside the living space and hotel, there will also be 2,000 sq metres (21,528 sq ft) of commercial and healthcare space, parking facilities, landscaping and Network Rail facilities.
The height of the towers, all exceeding 18 storeys, means they will each be classified as a ‘higher risk building’ and will fall under the Building Safety Act 2022. After the tragedy of Grenfell, this means the new residents can feel secure that they will benefit from improved legislation, including the building safety case regime, which means building owners have to demonstrate how fire and structural risks are being managed, plus implementation of the golden thread of information, which means there must be a digital record of safety-critical building data.
In addition, the Fire Safety Act 2021 makes clear that fire risk assessments must include external walls and flat entrance doors in multi-occupation buildings.
Overall this seems like a project with pros and cons. Its location is likely to mean residents do have to deal with some traffic noise and pollution, but they’ll also benefit from good transport links, and many London residents cope with traffic, trains and Tubes every day of their lives.
It’s an interesting design, with a dramatic cluster of towers and plenty of trees and other greenery in the initial images, which will also soften the noise and reduce pollution. The scheme aims to achieve a BREEAM rating of Very Good, and will incorporate air source heat pumps, water-saving measures and a 10 percent biodiversity net gain compared with the existing site.
Local residents have expressed some concern at the proposed project adding new residents to an already densely populated area, potentially resulting in over-stretched services. Of course, it’s normal to see some objections, and hopefully the scheme will include necessary additions such as space for a doctors’ surgery.
To me, this seems like a fairly positive use of a greyfield site, and it will be interesting to see whether such a project can be built within the suggested timescale. My guess would be probably not!
As always, if you need any assistance with the structural elements of an upcoming project, please do get in touch.
