Coldharbour Lane consists of large Villas that were constructed around 1844, the site in particular sits within the Loughborough Conservation Area and the current property has been subdivided into flats with a large communal garden to the rear.  We were approached by our client for a feasibility study to assess the potential of providing a modern 1 bedroom retirement home by utilising the existing structure from garages at the rear of the site.

Extract from Cherry and Pevsner
“East of Brixton, the area to the south of Coldharbour Lane was laid out circa 1844, probably by Henry Currey, with some quite elegant villas, single or in pairs…… Loughborough Park, skirting a pleasant new park created by Lambeth as part of the extensive reconstruction of the neighbourhood in the 1970’s……….”

The client had already obtained planning permission some time ago for garages to the rear of the site, works had been partially implemented by constructing 2 of the garages.  The proposal was to try and utilise the existing structure of the garage and extend the building to provide a 1 bedroom house.  Careful consideration was taken in regard to overlooking from the existing flats and vice versa the appearance of the dwelling from these apartments.  Starting with the shape of a typical pitched roof building we transformed the scale and mass and identity to respond to the shape of the site, loss of privacy and context of the surrounding architecture.  The proposals sought to retain part of the garage structure and then to partially remove walls to allow for a new extension to meet the minimum space standards on this constrained site.  Stock Brick and Cedar cladding were proposed to match the local materials and provide screening from the adjacent apartments.  A green roof helps to blend the structure into the garden space and provides a more attractive outlook for the apartments and Conservation Area.  Internally the bedroom has access to the private garden area, bathroom and open plan living area with level threshold access into the dwelling.  The focus was to achieve a high level of privacy whilst providing light and outlook to enclosed private garden.  Being all on one level the property would also future proof for any elderly or disabled occupants.

The new dwelling sits comfortably within the large grounds of the rear garden by sympathetically using materials that are sensitive to the Conservation Area and host buildings.  The proposed scale, form and palette of materials help the dwelling to blend into its natural surroundings.