Pollard Thomas Edwards

The Zero Carbon Accelerator has got some great webinars to start off 2025. All webinars are free and bookable via the website https://lnkd.in/dPPEsbeY Dr Tom Dollard PTE's Partner ‑ Sustainability and Innovation will be speaking at the Retrofit Toolkits and Skills for Local Authorities webinar. Join this webinar to understand the skills you need and the toolkits that are available to support successful retrofit projects. 🗓️ Thursday 30 January at 11am 🗓️ Wednesday 12 February at 3pm

Here’s our analysis of the Deputy Prime Minister’s letter, sent out this week following the publication of a revised, pro-growth National Planning Policy Framework. New Standard Method for Assessing Housing Needs Focusing on affordability pressures and a 370,000-home annual target aligns with equitable housing needs. However, delivering these targets locally, especially in high-pressure areas, requires clearer mechanisms. As the deputy PM admits in her letter, consultation feedback urged going ‘even further.’ Grey Belt, Green Belt, and Golden Rules The modernised Green Belt policy’s sequential approach and emphasis on affordable housing are promising, as is the recognition that new development on previously green belt land has a responsibility to deliver high quality and more infrastructure. However, the ongoing ambiguity around viability is frustrating - progress is promised! Universal Coverage of Local Plans Encouraging all councils to adopt up-to-date plans is essential but transitional arrangements for councils to carry on progressing housing-friendly plans, must involve robust support for authorities facing resource constraints. Securing High-Quality Development The presumption in favour of sustainable development is laudable. Mandates for mixed tenure and Social Rent are welcome, but realistic Section 106 financial support is critical for delivering developer-led affordable housing. Delivering Community Needs Community focus feels vague here. Labour’s commitment to supporting public infrastructure is positive, but specifics are needed. Healthy, walkable communities with healthcare, education, and greenery reduce NHS burdens, yet require investment and coordination. Building infrastructure to grow the economy We also welcome the finer grain of understanding being applied to infrastructure: prescribing data centres, gigafactories and the like as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects will make their timely delivery more likely. Green energy, flood risk, and the natural environment We applaud the focus on renewables, Sustainable Drainage Systems, and biodiversity. These changes align with our own - and our peers’ - commitment to sustainable, climate-resilient housing. Planning Capacity and Capability The additional funding and Pathways into Planning programme are much-needed interventions. However, sustained investment is required to address longstanding shortages in public sector planning teams. To be honest, we’d like to hear more about funding streams more generally as the government seeks to end the housing crisis. A final word on modernising planning committees. Great! Streamlining processes, introducing targeted committees, and mandating training will surely improve decision-making and accelerate delivery. Quality mustn’t be forgotten in the drive for more homes. #housing #housingcrisis #greybelt #greenbelt #brownfield #planning #NPPF #deputypm

This year Pollard Thomas Edwards celebrated 50 years of thoughtful placemaking and groundbreaking buildings, so we’re going to take a few moments to reflect on some recent projects which contribute to a legacy defined by creativity, collaboration, and community impact. From designing a new London town centre in Park Royal to delivering RIBA award-winning suburban and urban housing at Beechwood Village and Dover Court, we’ve pushed boundaries to meet social and environmental challenges. Projects like Juniper House combine affordability, education, and family-friendly spaces, while Walter Tull House brings true council housing to Tottenham Hale. Our Marleigh neighbourhood in Cambridge earned praise for its net zero standards, and we proudly accepted the BD Public and Social Housing Architect of the Year award. Beyond buildings, we co-hosted events like LGBT+ History Month, championing inclusion in our profession, and supported causes like Crisis with fundraising feats - like jumping into our freezing refurbished Lido in December! So, clients, collaborators, and colleagues, please join us as we celebrate five decades of architectural and urban design innovation. We look forward to shaping the next chapter together. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Diespeker will be closed from Wednesday 25 December and will reopen on Thursday 2 January 2025. 

Last Saturday, our brave supporters took to the water to kick off the first of our Icebreaker events at Brockwell Lido to raise money to help people build a life beyond homelessness. Even the wind and rain of Storm Darragh couldn't stop the community coming together to face the freeze! Thank you to the Lido Ladies for supporting us and judging the hotly contested fancy dress competition. It was too hard to pick just one winner - so we had to choose two! A massive thank you goes to Brockwell Lido and the on-site cafe, 400 Rabbits, who looked after us so well on the day. And finally, thank you to everyone who took part and raised so much to help end homelessness - we really couldn't do it without you. If this looks like fun, there's still time to get involved and there are so many ways to take part. We are hosting the following events: 👉 Parliament Hill Lido, London on 18 January 2025 👉 Bicester Hotel Golf and Spa on 19 January 2025 👉Tooting Bec Lido, London on 25 January 2025 👉 Caswell Bay, Swansea on 23 February 2025 Alternatively, you can do it your own way. Our DIY challenge is free to enter and once you raise £15, you can claim a free swim hat! We already have people doing their own dips in December and more signed up for the new year! Sign up today: https://bit.ly/4f6FEyE

At Acton Gardens, our £800m regeneration of the former South Acton estate in west London with L&Q and Ealing Council (London Borough of Ealing), we have started works on the 1000th affordable home following a groundbreaking ceremony for Phases 9.3, 9.5 and 9.6 earlier this month.   Designed by Pollard Thomas Edwards Architects, the new phases will provide 215 new homes, of which 50% will be affordable (on a habitable room basis) – reflecting the commitment across the regeneration to deliver 50% affordable housing. With 966 affordable homes (of which 80% are for social rent) delivered across Acton Gardens so far, the new phases will include the delivery of the regeneration’s 1000th affordable home, demonstrating how our 50% affordable housing commitment is making a difference, with energy-efficient, high-quality new homes helping to address the urgent housing need in Ealing.

Thank you to everyone that joined us at Pollard Thomas Edwards and Online on Thursday. It was great to see you all! Thank you for your feedback and great questions.   I was thrilled to share the first stage of the Happy Homes Toolkit with you: A 2-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership research project funded by Innovate UK and Pollard Thomas Edwards in partnership with the School of Architecture at the University of Reading and the The Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge. Project supported by the Knowledge Transfer Centre at the University of Reading.   It was an honour to have Professor Lorraine Farrelly (Head of the School of Architecture at the University of York) and Professor Flora Samuel (Head of the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge), who were involved from the creation of the project as academic lead and academic supervisor. Professor Tabarak Musa Awad Ballal, PhD, FCIOB, SFHEA (School of the Built Environment, University of Reading) joined as an academic lead in the second half of the project.   From PTE, Sarah Eastham is the amazing supervisor and Patrick Devlin the senior business leader. Thank you to our Innovate UK advisor Matt Hogan, Annie Duffin and Joanna Davies, the KTP Manager from the KTC.   Thank you to our case study partners Laura Murray (Countryside Partnerships) and Alistair Gale (Islington Council) for facilitating the most important part, the case studies! They also helped to smooth the approach with all our lovely residents. We were thrilled to have Angela on the panel. She is the voice of many residents who kindly opened the doors of their homes to us.  Thank you to all the members of our advisory group who kindly dedicated their time, sharing feedback and experiences at key stages in the project.  The stars aligned and it was amazing that the project involved a total of five professors in architecture! (this is a one in a million singularity). Our external advisory group also had the fortune to have Professor Dr Elanor Warwick and Professor Fionn Stevenson as members of the advisory group. Happy Homes Toolkit 2025 coming soon!

New 5-bedroom Show Home launched in The Villas at Canalside Quarter✨ Be the first to explore our stunning new spaces at this landmark Oxford development. 🏡 Enjoy the benefits of two new parks, local shops, schools, restaurants, and cafés—all just a 14-minute cycle ride into Oxford City Centre. Discover modern living in the heart of nature! https://lnkd.in/eF9ZiEVK ✔️ #CanalsideQuarter #HillHomes #OxfordLiving #NewShowHome

Seeing this headline today is depressingly timely. At the Women in Social Housing (WISH) London Christmas event last night we heard from Crisis on the work they are doing to support people out of homelessness, highlighting the need for a whole-system rethink to really make the impact we need. But... also reassuring to see all those brilliant women in the room, united in trying to address it and to think about the power that the collective action could have. Thanks to Women in Social Housing (WISH) London for another great event and for Pollard Thomas Edwards for hosting as ever. https://lnkd.in/d4a3rMXt

Had a wonderful time at the Women in Social Housing (WISH) London Winter Party! It was a great evening of networking, delicious food, and a surprise choir performance. A highlight was learning about the incredible work being done by Crisis. Pollard Thomas Edwards have generously donated their work to support Crisis—raising funds for those who need it most. If you have a moment, I’d highly encourage you to explore their contributions and consider placing a bid. https://lnkd.in/eHTQcCWk #womeninsocialhousing #socialhousing #winterparty #housing #crisis #PollardThomasEdwards