Caroline Simmonds’ Post

Morris+Company are delighted to announce that the Mayor of London has given the green light for the next phase of Aberfeldy Village in Poplar, London at a call-in hearing at City Hall on 26th January 2024. The approval is a significant milestone for the Aberfeldy estate, ensuring continued transformation, regeneration, much needed new affordable housing for London, and life-changing improvements for the local residents. Aberfeldy is an exemplar model of co-design, and the significant benefits bought from working collaboratively and in close consultation with #residents and the #localcommunity. Driven by developer EcoWorld London and housing and regeneration association Poplar HARCA, and design team including Levitt Bernstein,  LDA Design ZCD ARCHITECTS LTD and ourselves, Morris+Company, the masterplan includes: ·       Over 1,500 new homes, 39% affordable. 89% of the affordable homes will be social rent, with 46% family-sized with 3 or more bedrooms. ·       Over 3,550 sqm of new public open space – the equivalent to 18 tennis courts - including a new square, Highland Place, Nairn Park. ·       Improvements on the existing open spaces at Millennium Green, Leven Road, Braithwaite Park and Jolly’s Green. ·       2,300 sqm of commercial space, and 2,600 sqm of workspace. ·       8,600sqm of green space including over 5,000 sqm of play space and 4,500 sqm of playable landscape. ·       A repurposed Abbott Road underpass, safely connecting the Estate for pedestrians and cyclists. Plans will also deliver new community amenities, a revitalised high street, new green spaces and play areas, and improvements to local parks. The project will increase connectivity by creating safe, sustainable, and beneficial transport options. Image: Aberfeldy Village, Poplar, London #cityhall #planning #architecture #london #estateregeneration #housing #communityengagement #masterplanning #morrisandcompany

Skyscraper matching The Shard is set for approval!!! A 309.6m (1,016ft) skyscraper, matching #TheShard's height, is set for approval in central #London. Named 1 Undershaft, it will replace the 28-storey Aviva Tower, offering office and retail space, a viewing gallery, and a garden. Historic England has opposed the plans, citing concerns about the impact on the area's character and historic sites, including the Tower of London and St James’s Park. The Twentieth Century Society also objected, highlighting the significance of the existing 1960s Aviva Tower. If approved by the City of London’s planning committee, the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the next Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary would need to review the proposal. The new 74-floor #skyscraper would replace a vacant 28-storey tower, featuring office and retail space, a viewing gallery, and a garden. It would be the tallest building in the City of London’s skyline. The plans were revised from a previously approved 72-storey design to address post-pandemic needs and market changes. The GLA noted that the project does not fully align with the London Plan and requires more details on energy strategy, sustainable development, and traffic impact. Mayor Sadiq Khan will evaluate the public benefits against heritage impacts in his decision-making. #watchthisspace

I found this to be an interesting read. The view of the Empire State Building south of Madison Square Park is arguably iconic. Most of the gripes towards the new building extend from it blocking these views at street level and that the design of said building, though subjective, doesn't hold up to its legendary neighbor. Aesthethics, vantage points, and sight lines can be important to a city's design and identity. However, is this a pressing issue when we're in the midst of a housing crisis? Is a view like this worth preserving? Any thoughts? #urbanplanning #housing

A former office and dental practice in the heart of Leicester city centre will be converted into 24 studio apartments after we secured successful Class MA and external alterations approvals. “Carlton House is a circa. 1970’s building that was vacated towards the end of 2023 and had begun falling into a state of disrepair,” explains our senior planner, Charlotte Mills. “Our client, GRANDEUR CAPITAL LTD, sought to repurpose the building into a high-quality development of residential apartments. “Working with a local architect, InkDrawn, we developed a design to upgrade and reconfigure the existing building to bring it back into productive use and more in keeping with the original architectural character of the neighbourhood,” adds Charlotte. Situated on Regent Road, Carlton House also lies within the New Walk Conservation Area, which is home to many listed buildings and a nationally rare example of a Georgian Promenade. As such, external alterations were deliberately designed to be sympathetic and include revised fenestration aspects along with new openings to re-establish a rhythm and order similar to neighbouring properties. Red brickwork pillars and recessed grey aluminum panels give Carlton House its own distinct identity. In addition to the façade alterations, the newly approved redevelopment will include cycle parking and a private amenity area with seating and soft landscaping, replacing the office’s former car park. Charlotte concludes: “This redevelopment will give Carlton House a new lease of life and bring high quality accommodation for those seeking sustainable living in Leicester city centre. Class MA applications are one of the most effective permitted development rights so we encourage those with similar brownfield sites to get in touch for planning advice.” #planningapproval #planninggranted #planningnews #planningpermission #proudofplanning #regeneration #reuse #PDRs #ClassMA #redevelopment #Leicester #newhomes #citycentre #sustainableliving #bronwfieldsite #urbandevelopment 

Discover prime investment opportunity in the historic Woodfield District, just steps away from downtown London's vibrant pulse. Enjoy seamless access to major amenities and transport routes, making city exploration effortless. 📍691 WILLIAM Street, London, ON⁠ 🛏️ 5 Beds⁠ 🛁 4 Baths⁠ 📐 2,484 SqFt⁠ ⁠ Features:⁠ Location: Situated in the historic Woodfield District on the edge of downtown London, offering proximity to major amenities and transport routes in all directions. 🏘️🏙️ Dual Units: Built in 2020, this property comprises two separate units, offering flexibility and potential for rental income. 🏠🏠 High-Quality Finishes: Both units feature high-quality, neutral-tone finishes, ensuring a modern and appealing aesthetic. 💫 Exterior Design: The exterior of the property is wrapped in beautiful blue vinyl siding, complemented by white and wood accents, enhancing its curb appeal. 🎨🏡 Rental Potential: The main floor unit, currently leased until June 1st, 2024, rents for $2500 per month, with potential to increase to $3000. The second-floor unit, currently leased with rental increase scheduled to $2500 starting September 1st, 2024, rents for $2400, with potential to increase to $2800. 💰💼 ⁠ Investment Opportunity: This property presents an excellent investment opportunity with potential for rental income growth and desirable features for tenants. 📈🔑 #WoodfieldDistrictLiving #DowntownLondon #InvestmentProperty #RentalIncome #ModernAmenities #BlueVinylSiding #IncomeProperty #RealEstateInvesting #DualUnits #HighQualityFinishes

It’s nearly time for our new tenants to move into our newest exclusive development. We look forward to welcoming them all🏠 We've veered away from traditional Build To Rent models. Tales of maximising unit numbers compromising quality have dogged the property industry in recent years. Our latest project at Beecham’s also exceeds all national averages for floor sizes. According to the Office for National Statistics, the average UK apartment size is 43sqm whilst the largest apartment in Beecham’s is 167sqm. Owing to heritage restrictions, we've had to ‘reverse engineer’ solutions to ensure the fabric of the building was protected for future generations. We wanted to expose original features within the development and incorporate them into our design. These windows, not that you could tell even up close to the building, now form the corridors for the apartments facing Westfield Street. We’ve also created floor to ceiling picture windows at considerable cost to provide the occupant with expansive views and flooding the room with natural daylight. The restoration also exposed another 30 foot of ceiling height and beautiful ornate steel features and beams. As a company with an infinite love for design and architecture, so where possible we have incorporated them into the apartments. This hurt our original budget as we had to span the entire floor with joists to create a mezzanine level and install a serious of staircases, albeit timber or spiral in style. We also personally hand-picked every material that has formed the development.   Nicholson Group has also have also created a resident-only 5-star gymnasium, comprehensively kitted out plus parking for working professionals via an electric gated community. Local commentators have already congratulated the Group for its investment in the town pointing to how it can become a catalyst given the standard of work supplied, consideration to heritage and its confidence in the Borough and its town centre. There's now just one apartment available to let in the Beecham's scheme...please get in touch for more information. My team will help you and all interested parties: Message Whatsapp 07305 537 881 Or call us 0151 475 5042 Email us office@team-nico.com #BeechamsBuilding #residential #lettings #property #regeneration

With all the justified excitement about how the new metro will transform Sydney, it’s fascinating to reflect on Bradfield's original "underground" plan for the city. This plan envisioned an integration of the inner-city suburbs with the broader rail network. Bradfield's design included underground loops through the inner east and inner west, with stations proposed in locations such as Paddington, Waterloo, Randwick Racecourse, SCG/Showground, Balmain, Callan Park, and Annandale. These lines would have connected to existing stations like St James, which was built with two additional unused platforms (hence the unusually wide platform and dual staircases today). The design, finishes, and signage of Museum and St James stations look very similar to the London Underground. Supposedly these lines were abandoned due to the Great Depression and capital needs of WW2. It’s interesting to imagine how Sydney might have evolved if these lines and stations had come to fruition. For an interesting read https://lnkd.in/gmP9kZH8

The City of London skyline has transformed dramatically over the past few years with the addition of iconic skyscrapers like The Shard, The Gherkin, and The Cheesegrater. These architectural marvels have become symbols of modernity and economic power. But opinions are mixed. Some argue that these skyscrapers add a unique beauty and futuristic appeal to the cityscape, while others feel they disrupt the historic charm of the area. Thoughts? https://lnkd.in/d2ypfUuT

Great article in the FT with POoR Collective, discussing the issue of how buildings can be repurposed and retrofitted in a way that is responsive to local needs. Pleased to see the references to the Stratford Centre which I'm fond of to this day, and in agreement with Larry Botchway's comments that it has been “readopted and reactivated” to the benefit of the community. Although still scruffy around the edges (and subject to numerous failed redevelopment proposals over the past decade), it has a footfall of 20million(!) a year and plays an important part in providing affordable retall and eating options for local people. Many of them visit Roof East up on the top level of the centre's car park. It was a hard sell back in 2013/14 when we (the Stratford Renaissance Partnership) worked to facilitate the opening of the new attraction up on the roof, a space previously occupied only by pigeons and a few other activities (not to be mentioned here). Many people thought there was no way such a stark concrete space open to the elements could compete with the wealth attractions on offer in the shiny new Westfield mall across the road and it would be best to just demolish the whole centre - starting with the underused car park in question. But all credit to Cathy Low, Urban Space Management and Newham Council (the freeholder) who inspired by our 2013 visit to Frank's Cafe in Peckham worked together to turn the disused roof into a thriving space full of fun, creativity and small business enterprise, still successfully operating 10 years later! It might not have the stunning views over London that you get from the top of Peckham Levels but it does hold its own in terms of how popular it has become and managed to hold onto its place in the 'new' Stratford. And who would ever have imagined the Washington Post describing it as "Stratford’s place to be... they have thought of everything" and Time Out saying "it’s the most fun you can ever hope to have in a multi- storey car park. Legally." It will be a number of years before the vision to re-imagine The Train Shed here on the Earls Court site as a new destination for cultural events, food and more will come to life, but the example of the Roof Garden shows just how quickly time passes - hard to believe it is over a decade since the first plans were made for that space.

Oklahoma Announces Plan For Nation’s Tallest Building Oklahoma Tallest Building Move over New York City… The country’s tallest building will soon call Oklahoma its home. A new real estate initiative is bringing a giant building to the state’s capital city… Here’s what you need to know. Oklahoma’s Tallest Building Coming Soon Legacy Tower in Oklahoma City will soon be considered the tallest building in the country and reach a whopping 1907 feet. NOT TO MENTION, LEGACY TOWER WILL BE THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE AND THE 6TH TALLEST BUILDING WORLDWIDE. This upcoming building will also dethrone the One World Trade Center in Manhattan as one of the highest buildings. Legacy Tower’s 1907-foot height refers to the year Oklahoma joined the union. Originally, the building was going to be 1750 feet tall… However, the team behind the initiative asked the city council to approve a zoning change to make the building even taller. The building is looking to house over 1,000 luxury apartments, at least one hotel, and offices. Oklahoma’s tallest building will be part of Boardwalk of Bricktown. The development will be built in phases, with phase one constructing a hotel and two residential buildings. Phase two will construct the Legacy Tower. Altogether, the project will be completed in 5 years. With the real estate game always changing, it’s important to always keep your ear on thr ground for new developments that could soon be going sky-high.