Spaces in between
London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF)
Services
- Architecture
- Interior Design
- Landscape Design
- Name
Daniel Fordham
Operations DirectorBSc- Telephone
- 01603 706706
- Daniel.Fordham@nps.co.uk
- View Biography
"The housing crisis in London has forced new thinking and even more collaborations across the public and private sectors. It is easy to forget those small corners of London, those spaces in between, that nevertheless at times can hold the key to unlocking much-needed homes to people and families that need them most. We are very proud to have worked with the visionary and delivery focussed London Borough of Waltham Forest and its numerous determined staff and partners to make the impossible possible on these sites."
Project Summary
Evolve Norse Limited, a joint venture (JV) between Norse Consulting Group and London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF), has been focusing on meeting growing housing needs by unlocking the potential of small-scale, seemingly impracticable, council-owned land, often deemed to be unviable by commercial developers.
Twenty-one sites, such as garages and infill locations, have been transformed into good quality, affordable housing, and, to date, 134 contemporary homes, including two, three and four-bedroom houses and apartments, have been delivered.
Project Overview
Lack of supply to meet overwhelming demand has found London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF), like many other local authorities, under growing pressure to provide as many new affordable homes as possible to help reduce growing housing lists and temporary accommodation costs.
Through our unique long-term partnership, Evolve Norse Limited (part of Norse Consulting) has been helping the LBWF to deliver large capital programmes and social infrastructure projects to build and improve education, civic and community buildings across the borough.
So, when LBWF received Greater London Authority (GLA) funding to build affordable homes, it selected NPS London to provide a full suite of property and design services to help build the much-needed, affordable, quality homes within these “spaces in between.”
And, despite the tight timeframes and rigid budget constraints of the GLA funding, Evolve Norse Limited was able design and manage the delivery of 130 new contemporary, homes that are sustainable, accessible and built to a high quality to meet the changing needs of residents in the future.
Working against tight timeframes and within budget constraints, the multidisciplinary consultancy was able to use the same technology platforms to share information throughout delivery and speed up processes. With all services – planners, architects, surveyors, engineers and cost consultants – under one roof, delivery was also aligned, risk was minimised, and time and money were saved.
Community engagement was key in creating social value and overcoming complex issues affecting existing residents, such as privacy, ownership rights, party wall agreements and the right to light.
Our in-depth and wide knowledge of the public sector meant we could quickly navigate through red tape and legal barriers, assisting our client to reap the benefits of delivering so many homes on such small, complex sites, while managing supply chains and the development processes on behalf of the client; so they could focus on delivering the next strategic housing plan.
Project Impact
By optimising the use of space through creative and flexible design solutions, these tricky small parcels of land have been transformed into good quality, affordable housing for the local community.
As well as providing good quality homes that improve the fabric of an area, the Spaces in Between project has resulted in the regeneration of local communities and reductions in anti-social behaviour; it has encouraged capital investment, supported local business, and provided local jobs and economic growth.