NEW homes are springing up on pockets of brownfield land in both smart and
scruffy parts of London. Wander around any part of the capital and the
chances are you will stumble across a new-build house carved out of an old
car park, back garden or spare scrap of land. These “infill” developments
are evidence of the Government's determination that at least 60 per cent of
new housing should be built on brownfield sites.
One of the best examples of this trend is in Wandsworth, southwest London,
where nine old lock-up garages formerly owned by the local council have been
replaced by a low-rise designer home with glass walls.
The site is surrounded by period houses on a quiet residential street. As a
result of the proximity of these neighbouring homes, planners ruled that the
height of the new building could be no more than 4m (13ft) to avoid
overlooking. The developer, Oliver Woodworth, came up with an ingenious
solution: go underground. Only one of the building's two floors is above
ground, and that storey is low and extensive. The five-bedroom property is
also hidden from view behind a set of electric gates at the end of a long
drive, giving it a high degree of privacy.
Oliver Woodworth is a two-man firm comprising Jo Oliver, an ex-City analyst,
and Nick Woodworth, a former captain with the Royal Engineers who has served
in Northern Ireland and the Falklands. They joined forces in 2005 to develop
high-end, modern homes in southwest London. Initially, they bought some land
in Stockwell but aborted their plans after encountering what they considered
to be a rather unhelpful council planning department. They decided to sell
up and look for another site.
So when they found the site of former council garages in Wandsworth, they
jumped at the chance. “We know the area well, as we both have lived here for
years,” explains Oliver. The pair were spurred on by a few informal meetings
with the local planning office at Wandsworth Borough Council. “They seemed
really transparent and progressive, happy to talk through our ideas and
advise on some of the problems we faced with height restrictions.”
Their idea to go underground found favour, and planning consent for the nearly
5,000sqft property, Cedar House, was eventually granted in March 2006. But
it was not all plain sailing from this point. The site had five 25ft-tall
trees that protected the neighbours' privacy - something they did not want
to lose. “There was a lot of diplomacy needed for this build,” Woodworth
admits. “We brought in a tree specialist to confirm the cluster of large
trees were on their last legs and about to fall down, and compro-mises were
made with fencing and roof styles.”
The problems did not stop with the neighbours. Probably the most significant
challenge presented itself when they fell out with the main contractors, who
came from Berlin, last June. Since then Woodworth, who worked as a project
manager for Berkeley Homes after leaving the Army, has supervised the build.
He used his old contacts to finish the job.
The pair are pleased with the result. The house is designed for flexible
living - some rooms have moveable walls - and provides an incredible
light-filled space. The ground floor consists of a dining room, drawing
room, open-plan kitchen and family room with an en suite master bedroom and
dressing room. All the main rooms are partly made up of floor-to-ceiling
windows that open onto the secure courtyard gardens, created by a landscape
designer. The sense of light is extended by a clean white finish throughout:
the kitchen has white Effetti Italian units and there are limestone ceramic
tiles in all the reception rooms.
But it is only when you head downstairs that you realise how impressive the
house is. There is no feeling of being underground because there is as much
light in the four lower bedrooms and games room as in the rooms above
ground. The cinema room and bathroom are the only rooms without any natural
light. All bedrooms have access to the lower courtyard, and there is
plumbing for en suites if so desired.
Technology is of the highest quality. All the main rooms are fitted with audio
speakers and there is wiring provided to put in plasma screens. A 50in
plasma screen is installed in the family room, a television is set within
the wall tiles of the master bedroom's ensuite bathroom, and the cinema room
has a 110in fixed screen.
There is an added bonus of the gated entrance and drive, providing off-street
parking for several cars. Oliver and Woodworth are not aiming at any
particular type of buyer, although they think it would suit someone seeking
a lifestyle choice more than the location. The house is the first of what
they hope amp;#33;will be a succession of beautiful, flexible and functional
homes. “We've learnt a lot over the past couple of years,”
Oliver admits. “There were some tough times, but we are very happy with the
end result.” They already have their sights on their next project - another
brownfield site in Wandsworth.
Cedar House is for sale for £4.25 million through Knight Frank: 020-8682 7777.
HOW TO NEGOTIATE THE PLANNING MAZE
Ask anyone who has tried to obtain planning permission and you will hear
exasperated stories of rejection and confusion. Ken Dijksman is a former
planning officer and author of The Planning Game, a guide to obtaining
planning consent. He says that there are no clear-cut rules or regulations
for applications, but offers some tips:
Try to avoid the planning process. Find out what you can do without planning
permission. The changes you can make vary depending on your house type. But
if these suffice, you will prevent a lot of stress.
Be flexible. If you do need to apply for planning permission, be prepared to
negotiate. Your aim is to gain approval so be prepared to change your plans.
Remember, once you have permission, it cannot be taken away.
Be patient. The process takes up to eight weeks. Local authorities used to be
flexible with the timing but in the past two years the Government has
tightened the rules, penalising authorities who do not give a decision
within two months. Unfortunately, this allows less time for negotiation and
a higher chance of the local authority rejecting the application.
Make friends with the neighbours. They are the main reason permission is
declined. If you keep your neighbours informed from the start, they might be
more amenable to your changes.
Act now. The Government is introducing a Planning Bill, under which the
housholder's right to appeal will be removed.
The householder's right of appeal removed? What are the odds on this being passed?
T J Franklin, Boncath, Wales