Herbert Road

Replacing eight post-war prefab bungalows, Herbert Road with eighteen flats and houses (one house to wheelchair standard) is a contemporary interpretation of the urban terrace. Flats create bookends to the main terrace of of houses, while the three storey corner block defines the corner.

The mix of family sized 3 / 4 bed houses and 1 / 2 bed flats for social and market rent creates a diverse community. Houses are designed with separate living / dining and kitchen to cater for varying lifestyles, cultures and religions whilst  addressing privacy and surveillance issues. All ground floor flats have private front gardens / entrance doors and rear gardens, as the houses. Living rooms within the dwellings are south facing. Upper flats all have balconies. Lifetime Homes and Secure by Design criteria were achieved.

After post tender value engineering, the final build cost was approx £1450m2. Sensitive detailing avoided bespoke products.

A tree survey supported removal of overgrown fir trees. The planners vetoed proposals to provide some relief to the brick facade with self coloured render panels, but gave way on initial car free requirements, enabling parking provisions to the larger family units. Early Public consultation with surrounding residents was positive.

The scheme achieved CfSH level 3 through enhanced insulation including innovative Insulslab pod foundations, sustainable drainage, green roofs, solar hot water, reduced water usage and provisions fro birds and bugs in the gardens.

One lesson on this D & B scheme, is to seek greater involvement in service route location etc decisions.