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Nine spacious flats on a greenfield site in a fast-growing Essex town

Location

Hogg Lane RM17

Local Authority

Thurrock Council

Plot Type

Suburban, Greenfield

Project Type

New build flats

Accomplishment

Permission in principle for nine homes

Services by Urbanist Architecture

Project architect, delivery architect, interior designer, planning consultant, lead consultant

Collaborators

Astute Ecology, Evoke, Ferguson Brown, Matter

Team
Ufuk Bahar
Sky Moore-Clube
Robin Callister

Challenge

Our clients had a site in the busy Thameside town of Grays, Essex - it was greenfield, but sat between a classic suburban development and an industrial area. Plus, it was in the borough of Thurrock, which was nowhere near meeting its housing targets. So, our clients wanted to build multiple flats to make better use of the plot, which would not only benefit them financially, but would provide much-needed housing in an area that needed it.

Approach

Rather than go down the traditional planning application route, on this project we made use of 'permission in principle'. Because we were aware of the risks of a skeletal application, we supplied more information than the rules insist on. In fact, we provided the same level of architectural drawings as we would for a standard planning application. The application also included a preliminary ecology assessment and transport statement, covering the two issues that we anticipated the council might have with the site.

Solution

Fortunately, Thurrock Council granted the permission in principle, agreeing that the basic idea of nine homes was the right one. This outcome showed that by pairing the right strategy with quality design, applications you might not have thought possible can be.

After

RIBA chartered architect's proposal of the ground floor to include parking bays, closed cycle and bin storage, four 3-bed flats as well as access to the rear communal private garden
Location

Hogg Lane RM17

Local Authority

Thurrock Council

Plot Type

Suburban, Greenfield

Project Type

New build flats

Accomplishment

Permission in principle for nine homes

Services by Urbanist Architecture

Project architect, delivery architect, interior designer, planning consultant, lead consultant

Collaborators

Astute Ecology, Evoke, Ferguson Brown, Matter

Team
Ufuk Bahar
Sky Moore-Clube
Robin Callister

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