Diverse developments
Experience
Since the 'homes on stilts' construction of Kent House, Camden in the 1930s using the period's equivalent modern methods of construction, Origin Group and its members has had a reputation for imaginative, modern developments in often tight urban spaces.
We are keeping this tradition alive, developing much needed medium and high-density developments together with other low-density options, in a number of locations.
Our existing programme is wide ranging and includes:
- Working with health trusts to remodel redundant NHS land for new key work housing, such as the £26m accommodation at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Welwyn Garden City
- Partnering with Watford Football Club to re-model its Vicarage Road stadium, where we will develop 150 units of key worker and shared ownership housing
- Developing tight urban locations in town centres, producing vibrant mixed tenure developments - such as Parkway in Camden, north London
The types of schemes we develop
We have an active and innovative development programme. Here is a small sample of our current range of projects.
Vicarage Rd, Watford Football Club
Origin is investing £19 million in Watford football and healthcare, building key worker housing as part of Watford FC's £32.5 million Vicarage Road stadium redevelopment.
The club's plan forms a key part of the Watford Health Campus project and will provide, in partnership with Origin, an innovative 'wrap-round' housing development which will offer car-free key worker accommodation that will directly support Watford General Hospital and its staff.
Watford FC will contribute £13.5million, of which Origin will provide £4million as consideration for the development, with £3million ring-fenced from the club's revenues over the coming three years. The club will fund the remaining £6.5million required to complete the project through a combination of sensible long-term bank loans and/or equity.
Development plans have now gone for consideration to Watford Borough Council.
Photo caption, l to r: Key players in Watford FC's redevelopment: WFC Chief Executive Mark Ashton, Development Director Gareth Jones, WFC Chairman Graham Simpson
Regents Place
This will be a landmark London regeneration project in a tight urban space off Euston Rd, central London, being developed with British Land, Camden council and architect the Terry Farrell Partnership.
It's a large mixed development with offices, bars, shops, restaurants and residential units. The S106 element is 60 units and Origin has been closely involved in the early stages to ensure long term sustainability.
We have planning permission and are due to be on site in September 07.
Winning the adjoining North East Quadrant site followed on from our work with British Land at Regents Place. This is another high density scheme of intermediate rent and social rented units, all designed to a high specification by Munkenbeck & Marshall. The scheme has been submitted to CABE and the Mayor's office for design advice. A Housing Corporation allocation has been confirmed.
QEII, East & North Herts NHS Trust
The first flats have been occupied at Origin Group's £26m homes-for-medical-staff development at QEII hospital, Welwyn Garden City, part of the East & North Herts NHS Trust.
The block will provide 213 homes for key workers and are designed with very modern features including satellite TV and broadband.
The phased building allows some staff to continue occupying their flats while the building work goes on. Demolition of the old part by 'nibbling' means there is less noise and traffic. It is also more efficient, as the debris can be reused for the new building. The first 42 homes were occupied in January 07.
Developer Origin Group and the construction company Durkan are employing local labour for the work and offering training for construction industry hopefuls.
Photo caption: QEII accommodation under construction
Parkway, Camden, NW1
If ever there was a project which could be called a "tight urban development" it is Parkway.
Once we were successful in tendering for the project in 2004 against other RSLs, we were faced with the challenges of delivering a high-density solution to this infill site, which had been an eyesore in the locality for a number of years.
Our answer was to construct 17 residential units, 12 general needs homes and seven shared ownership apartments, together with a prominent retail unit on the ground floor. We were faced with significant issues while on site, having to build above a disused London underground tunnel for example, and we had to also enter into no less than 18 separate party wall awards with neighbouring residents and businesses. Working in such a confined area brought its obvious problems but we successfully minimised the impact of the work on neighbours and the local community.
The project completed earlier in July 2006. It is the first mixed tenure Origin project that brings together the experience and history of St Pancras in its core geographical area, comfortably blending residential development alongside commercial concerns, and Griffin, with its commanding area of expertise, that of successful leasehold management.
The finished product is a striking design and an example of real urban renaissance.
Parkway facts
Local authority: London Borough of Camden
Housing Assocation: Origin Housing Group
Developer: Origin with builder Rok
Number of homes: 19
Total cost: £7 million, £2.1m provided by the Housing Corporation
The site
0.065 hectare site in the middle of Camden was previously occupied by a single storey pre-fabricated building and yard. Below the site is a redundant section of the London Underground Northern line, a sewer and a former sub-basement. Eighteen party wall awards of varying complexity had to be negotiated. Parkway is centrally located in the vibrant 24/7 community near Camden Lock.
The scheme It includes seven shared ownership and 12 social housing apartments. On the ground floor is a commercial unit, occupied by electronics retailer Maplin.
Features It has a reinforced concrete frame and floor slabs on piles. The front is partially clad with terracotta tiled rain screen, making it strikingly different from the yellow brick and render rear.
Modern methods of construction included installing light gauge steel on the top floor and roof.
Extra sound proofing and acoustically attenuated ventilation trickle vents ensures the rooms facing the street can be ventilated without the noise pollution.
Affordability All the flats have been allocated to local Camden people. Shared owner purchasers are paying £765.57 a month for the one bedroom apartments. Buyers on the open market would have to earn twice as much to buy a similar property, £56,000.
The new development has helped 16 households gain social rented homes: the 12 at Parkway and four who have moved into homes freed up by the shared ownership apartments.
Completion
The scheme was officially opened in October.
Photo caption: Parkway, in the heart of Camden. Front and back elevations
Contact us
If you would like to talk to us, in the first instance please contact Jim Thompson:
Telephone: 020 7209 9288.
Email: james.thompson@origingroup.org.uk