After developing a capacity study for the site in 2019, Gort Scott were appointed in 2020 to be lead consultant of an award-winning team to deliver planning and tender information, collaborating with Maccreanor Lavington.

This residential-led new build development provides 513 homes – with Phase 1 currently under construction. These homes comprise 50% affordable housing to address local demand, with Phase 1 entirely affordable housing. All homes were designed to the Future Homes Standard of enhanced environmental performance, which then became incorporated in Approved Document L.

Commercial and community use spaces are provided in strategic locations at ground and first floor levels to support local employment and create a genuine mixed-use development that contributes to and serves the local community.

Southall is an area that reflects the multicultural makeup of London, undergoing dramatic change with the recent opening of the Elizabeth Line station. This makes its location strategically important, with close proximity to Heathrow and rapid access to central London. This, combined with the mainline from Paddington, bisects Southall, with new developments of height mostly to the south of the railway. Located north of the mainline, our scheme of similar height will visually unify both north and south, whilst a new pedestrian bridge brings a much-needed physical connection.

Our designs propose five buildings, each positioned and shaped to address key views and approaches, in acknowledgement of the neighbouring street pattern. Three towers are located next to the railway, and two shorter buildings front Park Avenue. These shorter buildings help to mediate the height of the towers with the existing low-rise residential neighbourhood to the north. The spacing between the towers has been carefully gauged to afford privacy between homes for residents and to optimise daylight and sunlight to the shared amenities and buildings within the site but north of these towers. Locating towers to the south of the site next to the railway also reduces overshadowing to the existing residential neighbourhood to the north.

Varied heights and angled forms respond to key views and sightlines. On approach, these create a layered ensemble and characterful skyline. Particular consideration was given to views from South Road along Park Avenue, the footbridge, Avenue Road and Villiers Road.

A straight central street runs through the site providing an address to each building and straightforward access to front doors. This street will be busy with day-to-day comings and goings, with convenience and safety important considerations in its layout. This street also connects public squares, pocket parks, play spaces and soft landscaping, so that the development is permeable and inclusive, providing opportunities for interaction and fostering a sense of community.
 

In materials palette and detail, the buildings are expressed as a family, each with a subtly different brick colour and type. We used complementary glazed bricks to line inset balconies, drawing on the history of Martinware Pottery production in Southall, and locating a finer quality material where people are in close proximity and will have most impact.

We used BIM modelling for rapid generation of data sets, including quantum and tenure mix, throughout the design process for clear communication with the client groups.