First time buyers are increasingly becoming a bigger part of the housing market with the value of mortgages in the first quarter of 2018 increasing by 6% on the first quarter of the previous year, according to a new report by Savills. A number of factors have led to this, with Help-to-Buy (where buyers have…
The Resolution Foundation’s recent publication, “Home improvements: action to address the housing challenges faced by young people”, highlighted their aspirations to own a home of their own are still high despite large rises in house prices and falling ownership rates. The report notes that twice the number of Millennials (people born between 1980-1996) were still…
As much as this is good news that home buyers in the UK have hardly felt the effects of the 0.25% base rate rise, it should be read with caution. The uncertainty over Brexit and the potential for interest rates to rise as competition slows, especially for low earning first-time-buyers, cannot be ignored. References The…
The lack of housing that is affordable is the biggest challenge for a generation. Mix Developments welcomes the £44bn commitment for housing and stamp duty relief for first-time buyers outlined by the Chancellor today. However, we are calling for some of this funding to be targeted to SMEs, particularly those who are geared to deliver…
Millennials will be paying on average three times more than their grandparents for housing. Not only do many have the burden of higher education tax, they also have lower incomes compared to the previous generation. Mix Developments have been highlighting and addressing the disproportionate cost of housing for Millennials by developing a housing model that…
Mix welcomes the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s proposal to boost affordable housing targets through the new Supplementary Planning Guidance. This policy should go further and be a stipulation for all public land. London’s housing requirements need to be met so that people of all incomes can benefit. This requires a substantial increase in the…
The London School of Economics hosted the launch of the Mayor for London, Sadiq Khan’s vision for “Good Growth by Design” at the Peacock Theatre. Following his speech the mayor joined the panel chaired by Director of the Institute of Public Affairs, Professor Tony Travers. The panel included Sadie Morgan, partner at dRMM architects and…
Mix welcomes the Government’s Social Mobility Commission report produced in collaboration with the London School of Economics highlighting the difficulties for people on lower incomes to buy a home of their own and then staircase either into greater levels of ownership or to properties that support their changing needs. We have been pressing for greater…
The potential of positive outcomes for higher density developments is dependent on creating private and public spaces and facilities to help people to positively engage with their home and communal lives. Showhouse magazine includes a comment from us. Pieter Zitman, of Mix Developments, suggests there are three sustainable criteria for the success of any development…
It was a pleasure to participate in the London Assembly Planning Committee Meeting on Tuesday the 14th to discuss housing density and its effects on affordability for the new London Plan. Very interesting discussions on density, the importance of good design, the immense growth in housing demand and affordability. We look forward to playing our…
The NLA were on the button when they called this three hour non-stop session the “Big Debate”. Some excellent speakers, and good points were made including the need for new SMEs to enter the market and help solve the housing crisis. One question, however. Given that an entire generation is now locked out of the…
Roger Madelin, formerly of Argent, and now Head of the Canada Water development for British Land, gave a fascinating account of the delivery of the King’s Cross site. At 67 acres, it is the biggest development site in London for 168 years and includes 500,000ft2 of commercial space, 1,800 homes, 250 businesses and 250 retail…
Development Appraisals and Proposals
Mix was asked to review the stalled planning proposal scheme and suggest ways to improve its viability. Submitted for planning was a 3-4 storey scheme of 21 flats with complex layouts. It incorporated solar PVs, heat exchange units, a lift, sprinkler system and substantial water storage tank.
We provided a report on the proposed scheme highlighting cost saving measures and site development options.
On the same footprint, we illustrated that we could provide 23 homes that could be undertaken in a more cost-effective manner. Our proposal, as illustrated, provided:
Tanner’s Hill
The development is designed to fit in a tightly constrained site with restrictive rights-of-light and overlooking issues. It consists of a 3 and 4-storey block with generous roof terracing and communal gardens.
Accommodation
10 (77%) Intermediate
3 (23%) Open Market
13 Total
| Intermediate Housing | |||
| No | Area | Type | |
| Tier 1 | 1 | 38m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 2 | 1 | 38m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 3 | 2 | 50m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 3 | 5 | 50m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 3 | 1 | 61m2 | 2-bed |
| 10 Total | |||
| Private Sales | ||
| No | Area | Type |
| 3 | 74m2 | 3-bed |
| 3 Total | ||
61 Wallis Road
This project is designed to fit within the scale and mass of the scheme granted planning permission. It is set over four storeys with the ground floor as commercial space.
Accommodation 14 (64%) Intermediate 8 (36%) Open Market 22 Total
| Intermediate Housing | |||
| No | Area | Type | |
| Tier 1 | 2 | 38m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 2 | 4 | 38m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 3 | 9 | 50m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 3 | 1 | 61m2 | 2-bed |
| 14 Total | |||
| Private Sales | ||
| No | Area | Type |
| 6 | 50m2 | 1-bed |
| 2 | 85/62m2 | 2-bed |
| 12 Total | ||
To evaluate the site’s potential Mix has maximised the scale, mass and full length of the site. Our proposal seeks to provide open access to the grounds, save the ground floor properties which are provided with private terraces. This concept allows the landscaping to reflect the design of the developments around the site and better integrate them. We have included a green wall, a feature successfully provided on previous schemes to soften the edge, improve the visual amenity and increase bio-diversity.
To the west of the site, we have proposed a café or other commercial area with associated external terrace in a stretch of road with limited public amenities. We will seek to restrict the use class to mitigate any anti-social behaviour.
At higher level, where the building steps back, we will create private terraces and, at the lower west end, we are proposing a communal terrace with planter beds and seating.
The majority of flats to the south of Cable Street face south, away from this site. Potential overlooking has been minimised through maintaining a minimum of 18 metre distance between the windows in the existing and proposed flats. Where the buildings are closer, the proposed flats will face away from neighbouring properties, as do the flats opposite.
We have sought to minimise the removal of trees, though some of the younger and smaller ones will need to be either removed. New planting is being proposed at the west end of the site. It may be necessary to pollard some of the larger trees.
Cable Street has a very important social history whose integrated community lessons we continue and celebrate. As evidenced by the mix of flat types, sizes and the affordability of the homes to people on a range of incomes, this development has been conceived to support this integration.
The design also supports this through the provision of:
This is a highly sustainable development based on a housing model that is affordable in perpetuity using a fixed-share equity model. All the 108 flats will be sold as Affordable Intermediate homes at a range of 20% to 62.5% discount to open market prices to singles, couples and families. We proposed Tier 1 homes are sold to people with a household income of £25,000 or less, Tier 2 homes at £35,000 or less, Tier 3 at £50,000 household income or less, and Tier 4 at Mayor of London thresholds.
52-62 Palmerston Road
This development, stepping from 2 to 6 storeys, is designed to complement the adjacent building heights and to the previous scheme. It can provide communal and private roof terraces and gardens. One-for-one bicycle parking with car parking are located on part of the rear garden.
Accommodation 41 (70%) Intermediate 15 (30%) Open Market
| Intermediate Housing | |||
| No | Area | Type | |
| Tier 1 | 2 | 38m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 2 | 4 | 38m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 3 | 19 | 50m2 | 1-bed |
| Tier 3 | 14 | 61m2 | 2-bed |
| 41 Total | |||
| Private Sales | ||
| No | Area | Type |
| 7 | 50m2 | 1-bed |
| 8 | 61m2 | 2-bed |
| 15 Total | ||
Mix has secured the Chiswick High Road site from the GLA’s Small Sites Programme.
It will deliver 28 homes, 14 of which will be intermediate affordable sold at various fixed discounts to the open market, with no rent paid on the portion not bought.
Refurbishment of a semi-derelict house that had been used as a kindergarten into a high-end rental property for the Sisters of Sion.
The new home has formal and informal living areas, two principle bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a study and four family bedrooms.
The site is located in the heart of Basildon which is a 30-minute train journey from London’s City area and provides 425 economic residential units for new home buyers. The scheme was design and achieved planning permission in 9 months.
Having designed the studio fit out for Bill Bailey, I was asked to design the integration of the adjoining site to form a larger family home. The existing flat with extended garden was designed in a modern Balinese style. It is intended that the integrated site will continue this trend and include 2 en-suite bedrooms, and extended living room, courtyard and lap pool.
The site contains 2 Grade II listed building, one a sailmakers’ loft and the other the former Caird & Rayner, desalination system manufacturer for the shipping industry. The two book end sites are designed as new build housing with the Caird & Rayner building having flats designed within its fabric. The sailmakers’ loft is allocated for community use including potential ateliers or student facilities for London Metropolitan University.
This development comprises of eight luxury 3-bedroom flats with covered secure parking. The building is a square plan with four feature turrets creating balconies with extensive views. The street façade reflects the more formal architecture of Tunbridge Wells. The shared rear landscaped garden and view facing side was sculptured and cut back, creating views and access to each flat’s sunny private balconies.
This project required the full demolition of the house barring the front façade. The house was converted from a 2-bedroom house to a 4-bedroom house with a new kitchen dining living space. The client wanted an open plan home that had a better relationship with the outside.
This small house is a traditional 2-up, 2-down design with the bathroom located at the end of the narrow kitchen space.
We extended the building to fill in the width of the site and swapped the bathroom and kitchen around to make it safer and make the bathroom more discreet. This allowed the dining area to relate to the rear garden and brought in much needed light into the home.
The project was for the erection of a single storey rear extension to incorporate an accessible shower room with a WC, basin and a laundry area for the elderly resident.
Although not subject to planning approval, during the works an exercise will be undertaken to remodel the kitchen layout to make it more ergonomic and safer to use.
The works included improvements to the insulation levels and improve the daylight of the house by replacing two bedroom windows and the bathroom window with matching double-glazed, timber windows.
Millard Terrace RM10 – Estate Regeneration
This estate of 156 homes has had little attention for many years and has become significantly run down. The aim was to improve security, deal with anti-social behaviour and regenerate it so that it is a positive place for people to live in.
We proposed:
Tintagel Drive
Mix secured the Tintagel Drive site from Harrow Council via the GLA’s Small Sites programme.
The light and airy homes will sit on a disused carpark and are designed to neatly fit in the restricted site area. The layouts will be completed in accordance with buyers’ requirements. A large secure lightwell to the rear provides cross ventilation whilst preventing overlooking. The upper-level features an expansive living and dining room with a discrete kitchen and family room.
It will deliver three, 3-bed terraced homes that are highly adaptable and sustainable.
1 Burdett Road
Gerhard Richter Cage Series + Phillip Glass inspired design.
I opted for Phillip Glass’s music as I found it held a rhythm that I could work with. I conceived this design as a medium to reflect the movement of city life having seen Richter’s work at the Tate. The building would be animated on a number of levels;
The development provides 56 homes and 750m2 of commercial space.
https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern/display/in-the-studio
