Kidbrooke wins at Design Awards 2010

Rebecca Hubbard
Posted: Friday, July 9, 2010 2:39 pm

Kidbrooke wins at Design Awards 2010
The Extra Care Housing in the Kidbrooke regeneration has won Best HAPPI Project Scheme at the Housing Design Awards 2010. Designed by PRP Architects, the Extra Care Housing forms part of the regeneration of Kidbrooke being undertaken by Berkeley Homes (Urban Renaissance) in partnership with Greenwich Council, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Southern Housing Group. The award was presented at a ceremony at the Banqueting House in Whitehall on Thursday 8th July 2010.

 
The Housing Design Awards is now in its eighth year and is officially partnered by the industry’s three key professional institutions; architects through RIBA, planners through RTPI and surveyors through the RICS.  The Housing Design Awards was established to recognise the very best projects offering imaginative and high quality urban schemes in the UK with a number of key factors judged including external appearance, internal planning, finishes, detailing and workmanship.
 
John Anderson, Chairman of Berkeley Homes (Urban Renaissance) Ltd comments: “The Housing Design Awards win recognises the hard work of all the development partners involved who have worked hard over many years to start the regeneration of Kidbrooke. The Extra Care Housing is an important part of the regeneration and will provide practical, high quality homes for those residents who require ongoing care.”
 
Anne-Marie Nicholson, Director of the Specialist Housing Group at PRP said: “We are delighted to have worked with such a forward thinking developer who embraced our aspirations in terms of achieving all of the principles set out in the recent HAPPI Report into housing for older people.  This award marks a real turning point for design in the specialist housing sector, we have worked closely with the HCA and Berkeley Homes to produce a model of Extra Care that challenges the traditional and often institutional approach to housing for older people. The design team, led by Mark Walker, has created an exciting scheme, in an excellent location and have set the standard for the future of design in this sector.”
 
Cllr Chris Roberts, Leader of Greenwich Council, said: "It is encouraging that the Kidbrooke regeneration is already being seen as an exemplar development by leading professionals with an expert knowledge of the built environment.  The development is making real progress in transforming the area, creating a better environment and improving the quality of life for all residents and the Extra Care Housing is a crucial element of this."
 
David Lunts, HCA Director for London said: “We are really pleased to see that the Kidbrooke Extra Care Housing has been recognised at the Housing Design Awards. Kidbrooke is exactly the type of regeneration scheme that we look to support, and we are thrilled to be involved in the second phase of this development which on completion will transform the area and create a thriving mixed community.”
 
The £1 billion redevelopment of the former Ferrier Estate in South East London will create a mixed-use development, including a community of 4,000 new mixed-tenure homes, approximately 300,000 sq ft of commercial and retail space, a new school, new community facilities, integrated healthcare facilities, sports pitches and leisure facilities. It will also include a new transport interchange and eight hectares of new public open space, in a Masterplan designed by architect Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands. 
 
Designed by PRP Architects, the Extra Care Housing will provide a home for life, offering the choice of different levels of care and support as and when required and without the need to move on to other forms of supported housing. Residents will be able to live independently and benefit from care and support when required. The Extra Care Housing at Kidbrooke will provide residents with individual self-contained accommodation together with a variety of additional communal facilities within one development. Care will be provided to residents on an ‘as needed’ basis, and every encouragement is given to maintaining independence and lifestyle choice. An important feature of the Extra Care Housing is the creation of lively, balanced communities of older people, ranging from active, independent residents to those requiring a high degree of care.
 
Following the successful topping-out of Phase One at the beginning of the year, Kidbrooke received final approval for Phase Two and Two A of the Kidbrooke Regeneration in March of this year. Working in partnership on one of the largest residential regeneration schemes in Europe, Berkeley Homes in partnership with the Greenwich Council will now continue their work with their development partners; The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Southern Housing Group to deliver the second phase of the project.
 
After extensive consultation and planning the second phase at Kidbrooke, designed by architects Scott Brownrigg and PRP, will consist of a total of 710 new homes. Phase Two, situated on the western half of the Masterplan, will provide three to four storey family housing, apartments overlooking a new landscaped park and Extra Care Housing. This will complement the 449 homes of Phase One and provide a mix of much needed private and affordable homes in the area. Phase Two A is situated on the eastern side of the Masterplan and consists of larger family housing and two four storey apartment blocks.