March 2007
First Base, the residential-led urban regeneration developer, announced today that planning applications have been submitted for two new residential developments in London. The schemes in Islington and Southwark will revitalise each respective area and boost the local communities with environmentally sound and affordable mixed-use developments.
Both sites are currently owned by English Partnerships and are being developed by First Base as part of the London Wide Initiative, a pilot scheme to fast-track more quality affordable homes in Greater London. Following a series of public consultations and exhibitions, plans were submitted to local councils this week for the mixed-use developments that will provide a range of affordable, Key Worker, social for rent and private for sale homes as well as retail and workspace, all built to the highest standards. As with all First Base projects, both sites will aim to achieve EcoHomes Excellent ratings.
Printworks, which is part of a wider proposal to bringing much needed regeneration and new homes to Elephant & Castle, will deliver a 9-storey development designed by renowned architects Glen Howells, comprising 164 homes. The scheme will consist of 42% affordable housing. In addition commercial space will be created and allocated for small businesses. The scheme will be located along Amelia Street and Robert Dashwood Way, and will be built on what was previously a coal store for the railway and more recently, an HMSO printing facility.
52 Holloway Road will bring 128 new homes into the Islington borough. Designed by architects Porphyrios Associates and John Robertson Architects, the development will be built on the former London Taxi showroom site, and is in a prime location, with local amenities, Highbury Fields and strong public transport links all nearby. As with Printworks, 52 Holloway Road will be 50% affordable and include ground floor commercial space for utilisation by local businesses.
Elliot Lipton, managing director of First Base, said, "The submission of plans for these two projects is the next step in achieving our vision for more quality, affordable, sustainable housing within London, and we are pleased that we can continue to work alongside English Partnerships to accomplish this. Printworks and Holloway Road are two of many exciting developments in the First Base pipeline, and we look forward to continuing to create thriving mixed-tenure communities that bring together First Base's core propositions of design, quality and sustainability."
The developments will be built using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in order to provide quality, sustainable properties designed with the environment in mind.
For further information please contact:
For First Base:
David Lucas
Tel: 0207 908 6422
Email dlucas@lexispr.com
For English Partnerships:
Catherine Snow
Tel: 0207 531 2465
E-mail: catherinesnow@englishpartnerships.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS:
First Base is the residential-led urban regeneration developer that creates stylish homes in great urban spaces.
Designed by renowned architects, built by skilled craftspeople, managed by experts, First Base homes are quality, sustainable properties for purchase or rental.
First Base was included in the 2006 RIBA ---Top 50 Clients--- survey for its innovative approach to quality design, using renowned architects including AHMM, Richard Rogers Partnerships, Glenn Howells and Fletcher Priest for a range of projects across the capital.
First Base is also a founding member of the UK Green Building Council. The non-for-profit organisation is being launched in the spring of 2007 and aims to reduce the environmental impact of buildings by improving the way they are designed, built and maintained.
First Base is currently involved in a range of projects that will deliver mixed tenure housing in London and the south east:
For further information please visit www.firstbase.com
English Partnerships is the government's national regeneration agency delivering high quality, sustainable growth in England. We do this by developing our portfolio of strategic projects and acting as the government's advisor on brownfield land. We also ensure that surplus public sector assets are used to support wider government objectives, especially those contained inthe Sustainable Communities Plan. English Partnerships helps create communities where people can afford to live and want to live. Information on projects and programmes can be found at www.englishpartnerships.co.uk
English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation are working with the Department for Communities and Local Government to establishthe proposed new national housing and regeneration agency, Communities England.
The London-Wide Initiative pilot scheme was launched to fast-track more affordable homes in Greater London. The scheme will focus on a portfolio of sites, selected as a test-bed for introducing a range of new ideas for the delivery of homes. The pilot scheme will deliver up to 4,500 homes over the next five years of which around 1,500 will be affordable homes for key workers. Three development partners have been selected to work in partnership with English Partnerships to deliver homes through the London-Wide Initiative; First Base, Key London Alliance and a consortium led by Countryside Properties plc.