Bell Phillips

Director, Jay Morton is chairing ‘Affordable Housing: In Conversation’ at this year’s NLA Housing Summit, addressing new government targets with a focus on actionable solutions and strategies across delivery, partnerships, and investment. How can we accelerate house building and deliver quality? What schemes are already underway and what funding is needed to successfully deliver good, affordable and sustainable housing? How can we increase affordability? Where should we be investing to meet the demands of an increasing population? Thursday 27 February, 09:00–13:30 Livery Hall, Guildhall, Gresham Street EC2V 7HH Tickets to the Housing Summit can be purchased on the NLA website: https://lnkd.in/epVpKgCH #HousingSummit #NLA #AffordableHousing #architecture #housing

Director, Tom Morgan has joined the NLA’s Expert Panel for Education, sharing his insight to help tackle some of the sector’s key challenges. Tom has a decade's worth of experience designing schools. He spent four years working on projects within the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme before joining Bell Phillips in 2014 to lead the practice’s first education project at Skinners’ School, Tunbridge Wells. The Mitchell Building at Skinners’ School completed in 2020 and has been a resounding success, winning RIBA National and Civic Trust Awards. As a result, the practice has gone on to work with several other schools such as Rainham Mark Grammar School, Dartford Grammar School and a masterplan for Kent College, Canterbury. Together with his fellow panellists, Tom will address key challenges such as deteriorating school estates, a surplus of school places, and keeping public land in public ownership. https://lnkd.in/e54nrF9m #architecture #NLA #education

Twenty years ago, the Bell Phillips studio began with a winning competition entry for the Brooks Road Estate Retrofit in East London. Our inaugural project transformed 230 homes, cutting energy bills by 55% and reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 11,400 tonnes over the last two decades. The project anticipated many principles now central to retrofitting, such as those outlined in PAS 2035. Today, in NLAs NLW, I reflect on its successes, acknowledge opportunities to improve, and highlight the critical role retrofitting plays in achieving net-zero targets and improving lives. Today, we continue to refine our approach, led by specialists like our Senior Architect Sean Kitchen, who is qualifying as a PAS 2035 Retrofit Coordinator. The lessons from Brooks Road continue to inspire us as we innovate and shape a sustainable future for generations to come.

Join Director Jay Morton at the Young LHG Conference to explore how the Government can build more homes, better homes and cheaper homes. Solving the housing crisis for young people 11:00–15:00, Saturday 8 February 2025 Shaw Library, London School of Economics With social housing stock diminished, rents and prices on the rise, and under-regulated rentals and leaseholds, the housing dreams of most young people are increasingly hard to reach. This conference looks at what the Government is, and should be doing about it. Tickets are free and can be reserved on the Young LHG website: https://lnkd.in/eTrudgzy #housingcrisis #housing #architecture

Delighted to share that we have secured planning consent to redevelop Victoria Point student housing in Manchester. The project revitalises the existing housing on site whilst significantly expanding its capacity, increasing accommodation from 566 to 876 bed spaces (a net uplift of 310 beds). The existing development was built in 2009 as general needs housing but several of its buildings have since fallen into disrepair. Together with local architects, 5Plus, we were appointed by Empiric Student Property to bring a fresh, holistic approach to the site. We have sought to retain and retrofit the existing buildings wherever possible. Four blocks will be stripped internally and reconfigured to improve their energy performance and visual appearance. These blocks will also be extended, whilst two new buildings will be added. New facilities, including a large gym, co-working spaces and staff training facilities, as well as meeting spaces for students and the wider community, will enhance the development’s appeal and sense of community. Generous cycle storage space, improved walking connections and landscaping form part of the development’s focus on sustainability and wellbeing. The development is targeted to BREEAM Excellent and aims to achieve significant biodiversity net gains. A strong grid of windows will be set deep into new brick facades, reminiscent of local historic warehouse buildings. Subtle banding and coloured ceramic detailing echo that of Victoria Baths nearby, a beautiful listed building which originally served as a bathhouse to the neighbouring Victorian terraced houses. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the fantastic project team into technical design and construction. Empiric Student Property plc 5plus architects Heyne Tillett Steel Turley #StudentAccommodation #VictoriaPoint #Manchester #Architecture #PlanningPermission #PBSA #StudentHousing #HigherEducation

What happens when politics and architecture collide? Our upcoming Urban Forecast Podcast takes things to the next level - a dynamic collaboration with Jay Morton, Director at Bell Phillips, that explores fresh perspectives on urban regeneration and the built environment.  ◾ Can architects shape political decisions - or is it the other way around?  ◾ What does it take to create real, lasting change in our cities?  ◾ How do we tackle sustainability and community needs in today’s landscape? This episode promises insights you haven’t heard before - don’t miss out!  Full episode drops next week - subscribe now: https://lnkd.in/eSD3wXvR #Architecture #UrbanPlanning #Podcast #FutureOfCities #ThoughtLeadership

Delighted to see that construction is underway for Chester Road Hostel. Once complete it will provide long-stay, temporary accommodation for 50 homeless families in a new, purpose-built facility. The homes have been designed with the wellbeing of vulnerable residents in mind, with particular consideration given to site security, access, means of escape, the layout of homes and the position of communal spaces and amenity. Three connected buildings are arranged around a communal garden to form a nature filled heart for the hostel. New active frontages are restored to both street elevations and materials have been selected to complement the Conservation Area. Passive design principles were embedded in every aspect of the design and will see a 47.0% improvement on Part L. Chester Road will provide safe, sustainable and quality accommodation to those that need it most. It has been an incredibly rewarding project to be a part of and we look forward to seeing it come to life. Congratulations to London Borough of Camden and the whole project team.

Late last year we submitted our first Build to Rent scheme in Birmingham for planning. Designed in partnership with local practice, Intervention Architecture, our 37,853 sq.ft mixed-use development will provide extensive retail space, a wellness facility and 408 high-quality Build to Rent homes, together with rooftop amenities and communal spaces for residents. Congratulations again to the whole project team on reaching this milestone. It has been a privilege to be part of one of the UK’s most ambitious regeneration initiatives, reshaping 17 hectares in the historic heart of Birmingham. Planning is expected to be determined in March this year and we look forward to seeing how it progresses. You can read more about the proposals in btr news: https://lnkd.in/gt2VBC4w Lendlease Birmingham City Council Intervention Architecture Turley Robert Bird Group Cundall LDA Design AECOM WSP RWDI Quantem Ashton Fire BTR News #SmithfieldBirmingham #BuildToRent #Regeneration #BirminghamCity #Architecture #AltResi

We are so pleased to welcome our newest members of the Bell Phillips team: Yen Liang Ho, Mankiran Kundi, Rahul Patcha, Michael Baldwin and Rhona Hamilton-Jones. 2024 has been an incredibly exciting year and here is a glimpse of what you can expect from us in 2025: The completion of two of our projects with Southwark Council; Burgess Park Sports Pavillion and new homes on Albion Street, Rotherhithe. The publication of our William Sutton research findings with Clarion Housing which explores a new place-specific vernacular of architecture for low rise housing using biomaterials. Details of our first Build to Rent scheme with Lendlease in Smithfield Birmingham which has just received planning permission. The Architects Action for Affordable Housing campaign continues and taking on apprenticeships, planning committees and the NPPF. As part of our work on the Barking Riverside Sub Framework Plan we will be carving out an identity for the next phase of the masterplan, comprised of over 1,000 homes alongside non-residential uses and open space. Directors Melissa Dowler and Jay Morton will be heading to Cannes in March for MIPIM 2025! Our office will be closed from Friday 20th December and will reopen on Thursday 2nd January 2025. Wishing you all a wonderful festive break and a happy new year. 

Our first Built to Rent scheme and our first project in Birmingham has been submitted for planning! It has been a privilege working alongside Lendlease, Birmingham City Council and Intervention Architecture on one of the most exciting regeneration projects taking shape today. Congratulations to the whole team on reaching this exciting milestone. #SmithfieldBirmingham #BuildToRent #Regeneration #BirminghamCity #Architecture #AltResi