Overview

Napier and New Plymouth House, Rainham

Project type: Estate & Housing Renewal
Client: Wates Residential, Havering London Borough Council
Stage: On-site
Programme: 2018-ongoing

Delivering social and economic transformation through estate regeneration.

Napier and New Plymouth House are the first sites being developed as part of a wider estate regeneration project being delivered by a Joint Venture between Wates Residential and Havering London Borough Council.

The project will replace two poor quality 13-storey tower blocks that were having a negative impact on the street, neighbourhood and wider area, with an integrated new community formed of mid-rise, high-density buildings, arranged around new open spaces and public realm.

The 0.79 ha site is located 500m from Rainham Village and Rainham train station, and is within the Rainham and Beam Park Strategic Development Area. At the heart of this area is the Beam Parkway Highway Improvements Plan, which looks to create more sustainably focused movement along the A1306. This road forms the southern boundary to the site.

A programme of community engagement included an event at Rainham Primary School to include schoolchildren in the design of the new neighbourhood using the computer game, Minecraft. A detailed planning application was submitted to Havering Borough Council in May 2019.

“
This project will provide much-needed quality, affordable homes for local people in our special borough. It will leave behind a legacy of skills, training, jobs and aspiration which goes far beyond just bricks and mortar.
Councillor Damian White, leader of Havering Council

Project Delivery

– Low-rise buildings to the north and west to sensitively address the existing residential edge, with increasing height along New Road.

– 197 homes provided in a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments, of which 64% will be affordable.

– Superior views of three generously proportioned podium gardens which benefit from openings, allowing sunlight to filter through.

– A linear landscaped space at the heart of the new community provides leisure and amenity space, echoing the alignment of a historical route between New Road and Dunedin Road – addressing desire lines for pedestrian movement.

– A new dedicated cycle route provides links to the existing network and connects to New Road.

– Provision of Havering’s first Underground Refuse System designed into the public realm proposal.

– An architectural approach that references nearby Rainham Marshes, with a marshland-led landscape proposal and complementary colour palette, and the use of Rainham steel for the entrances and wayfinding.

Project type: Estate & Housing Renewal
Client: Wates Residential, Havering London Borough Council
Stage: On-site
Programme: 2018-ongoing
Project Team
Gavin McGillivray
Gavin McGillivray
Associate
Adam Creswell
Adam Creswell
Senior Architect
James Thomas
James Thomas
Associate
Debbie McCreath
Debbie McCreath
Senior Architect
Scott Crighton
Scott Crighton
Architectural Technician / 3D Visualiser
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