PRESS RELEASE

LOCAL DEVELOPER TO HOLD EXHIBITION FOR GREENWICH RESIDENTS
- First Base invites community to view plans for site of former Greenwich hospital -

Local residents are being invited to an exhibition to view latest plans for ‘The Heart of East Greenwich’, a new mixed-use development on the site of the former District Hospital. The proposals by urban regeneration developer, First Base, in partnership with English Partnerships, the government’s national regeneration agency, will deliver London’s first major zero carbon scheme with the aim of transforming the important Greenwich site into a thriving community.

Designed by Make Architects, Arup and Lovejoy the scheme comprises 650 homes including one, two and three bedroom apartments, maisonettes and four bedroom townhouses. In order to deliver a mixed tenure balanced community up to 50% of the development will be affordable, providing family, Key Worker and Social Rented homes under English Partnership’s London Wide Initiative (LWI) programme. The ‘Heart of East Greenwich’ will also create a new public square and community hub. This will include state of the art leisure facilities with two swimming pools and fitness studios, a heath centre including two doctors’ surgeries, plus a library, crèche, a range of shops, cafes and flexible workspace to support local creative industries. 

To enable local residents to view plans, First Base will hold two public exhibitions at the Forum at Greenwich on Trafalgar Road between 2-5pm on Saturday 13th October and Thursday 18th October between 5-8pm.

Elliot Lipton, Managing Director of First Base, comments, “Our plans will provide much needed affordable and family homes for the local area and the provision of community space will also act as a catalyst for ongoing regeneration in Greenwich.

“It’s vital that the scheme works in the context of the wider community. To ensure the best possible solution for this site, we’re very keen to work with all those who live and work in the neighborhood, which is why we are encouraging local people to attend the exhibitions to see our plans for themselves.”

Philip Dibsdale, English Partnership’s Area Director for Greenwich, said, “We welcome this exhibition as the latest in a series of opportunities for the community to engage with the regeneration of the former hospital site. We are confident that this project will set standards as an exemplar 21st Century mixed use development that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable whilst also ensuring that the existing character of the area is retained and enhanced.”

The ‘Heart of East Greenwich’ will be London’s first major zero carbon development and will set a new benchmark in environmentally sustainable communities. This will be achieved through on-site generation of heat and power using Biomass CHP, ground source heat pumps, thermal storage and photovoltaics; supplemented during peak periods by gas boilers.

Elliot Lipton, continues, “Our plans for the site are designed to ensure the scheme is integrated into its surroundings and will be a sympathetic and sustainable development. We look forward to updating local residents and continuing to work with them on our plans for this important site.”

English Partnerships London Wide Initiative (LWI) is a scheme to fast-track more quality affordable homes in Greater London. The LWI will focus on a portfolio of sites to deliver up to 4,500 homes over the next five years of which around 1,500 will be affordable homes for Key Workers.

Following consultation with the local community, plans for the ‘Heart of East Greenwich’ are due to be submitted to Greenwich Council in December 2007.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact:
Jess Gooch / David Lucas
Tel: 020 7908 6447 / 020 7908 6422                                                      
Email: jgooch@lexispr.com / dlucas@lexispr.com

NOTES TO EDITORS:

First Base Limited
Transforming Urban Spaces and building communities.

First Base is the urban regeneration developer that creates stylish homes in great urban spaces.

• It transforms the way that properties are built - using best practice modern construction methods that keep costs low yet quality high, embracing sustainability and ensuring value for money.
• It transforms the way that communities are formed - with a mix of tenures, a range of homes, a commitment to high quality management and services that make friends of neighbours.
• And it transforms the way that style meets function - with attractive designs, inside and out, that do more than simply look good.

Designed by renowned architects, built by skilled craftspeople, managed by experts, First Base homes are quality, sustainable and affordable properties for purchase or rental.

First Base is currently involved in a range of projects that will deliver mixed-tenure housing in London and the South East. These include:

• London’s first major carbon neutral scheme on the site of the former Greenwich District Hospital
• Stratford City Olympic Village, as part of the Lend Lease consortium
•  the regeneration of a site in Kings Cross to provide affordable accommodation to over 900 students
• a number of schemes under English Partnerships’ London Wide Initiative including Adelaide Wharf in Shoreditch and two sites in regeneration hot spot, Elephant and Castle

The company was included in the RIBA ‘Top 50 Clients’ survey for its innovative approach to quality design, using renowned architects including, Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners, AHMM 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 organisation, launched in the Spring of 2007, aims to provide leadership and cohesion to the UK Green building movement, provide a single, powerful pan-industry voice to Government, facilitate knowledge sharing and spread best practice and raise the international standing of UK industry.

For further information please visit www.firstbase.com

English Partnerships
English Partnerships is the government’s national regeneration agency. Our aim is to deliver high quality, sustainable growth in England.

English Partnerships helps to create communities where people can afford to live and want to live by improving the quality of our towns and cities.  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 establish the proposed new homes agency.