Local architect's comments on Newlon application

COMMENTS ON THE NEWLON PROPOSALS FOR ST. ANDREW'S OLD CHURCH HALL SITE, MADE IN A PERSONAL CAPACITY, BY ARCHITECT CHRIS HARTISS, WHO LIVES LOCALLY

1. MASSING,SCALE and URBAN FORM

a) Despite completing analysis of the existing and prevalent building forms across the area and correctly identifying that terraced family housing is the most clear and obvious context, the proposals instead ignore this context and the proposed building is a single volume more suggestive of a barn or a medieval hall than terraced housing.
b) The elevations to St Andrew's Road and the forest do more to address the existing context but the long elevation to Poppleton Road seems to ignore it.
c) Whilst the previous form of the old Church Hall was very strong and helped to define the junction between Poppleton and St Andrew's Roads the current proposal erodes this and provides a weaker street frontage due to the undulating façade.
d) This undulating façade also seems to promise permeability into the site but then removes this possibility with the use of railings etc.

2. LEGIBILITY

a) The entrance to the communal hallway is tucked under the eaves and has no relationship to the greater building form. I believe this makes the building more difficult to "read" (and my example of this is that on a traditional terraced house everyone can see where the front door is).
b) The strong forms of the gable ends to Poppleton and St Andrew's Roads suggests that the arrangement of doors and windows on the rest of the façade will have a similarly formal arrangement but they appear to have been placed on the elevations fairly arbitrarily and often asymmetrically which further undermines the strong forms of the gables.
c) The doors and windows do not correspond in terms of overall proportion or configuration of opening lights to any of the existing context.

3. UNIT MIX, SIZE and TENURE

a) The application does not make it clear whether the homes are for private sale, shared ownership or social rented tenure. Despite a verbal assurance from the applicant that the homes would be offered for shared ownership I feel that this should be confirmed more formally and also probably as a planning condition.
b) Waltham Forest housing need surveys state that there is a growing requirement for 'family' housing (i.e. homes with more than 2 bedrooms and with sufficient amenity space, preferably outdoors). Whilst there is also a need for housing for the elderly I do not consider this to be a prime location for elderly residents and family units would be much more appropriate.
c) In addition to the above point, contextual analysis undertaken of the area referred to in point 1a also suggests that family housing would be more relevant.

4. RELATIONSHIP TO LISTED BUILDING
a) The Design Statement states that the design has been developed in consultation with planning officers and the conservation officer in order to relate the proposals to the adjacent church. It has been correctly identified that the newly exposed view of the church windows adjacent to the site are important and that any proposals should take heed of this. The Design Statement suggests that this is the case however the application contains no perspective or artist's impression from the junction of Poppleton and St Andrew's Roads to illustrate the impact of the proposals on the church. Drawings, computer generated images or illustrations showing clearly the impact of the proposals on the Listed building should be included as part of the application and this impact needs to be assessed carefully when appraising the proposals.

5. MATERIALS
a) The Design Statement clearly states on page 12 that "the proposed building fits well into its context because...traditional form and materials have been employed throughout". However the application drawings show that the windows are to be "polyester power-coated", the window and door heads will be "reconstituted stone" and the elevations will partly comprise "cream self-coloured render." None of these materials are indigenous to the area and nor are there any strong enough precedents to suggest that these materials can be identified with anything local.


6. SUMMARY

There are many examples of considerate, creative and contemporary housing design in most boroughs across London. This site -- and this borough -- also deserve the best and in my view, for the reasons above, I do not consider these proposals reflect this. Back to top