Solidspace input to the Character Study for the London Borough of Merton focused on the question of ‘What future growth should look like?’, and how the small sites development opportunities in the borough can be bought forward in a way that compliments and evolves the borough’s character.  With our understanding of small sites constraints and opportunities, we supported Allies & Morrison Urban Practitioners who were the lead consultant on the study, in building a picture of what Merton is today, drawing on the different identities across the borough and how these local qualities can inform approaches to growth and change. We took a sample of small site types that are commonly found across the borough’s character areas and developed capacity studies for them, outlining the constraints and opportunities of each site type, and provided recommendations for their unlocking and delivery. The study  The study will assist the Council, community groups,…

The Small Sites Identification, Capacity and Design Study developed by Solidspace with Allies and Morrison will help the Council realise its aims for future sustainable growth in the borough which is ‘of the place’ and deeply informed by its local character. It is intended that the Study will provide a robust evidence-based strategy for future growth and intensification, in the context of focus-areas, typologies, and small sites, helping establish how areas of growth can accommodate new homes and jobs sensitively and successfully. Part of the Study will be a Design Code which will provide clear guidance to support high quality prospective development across the borough. Guidance and parameters for a range of identified typologies will demonstrate how good design and higher densities can work in symbiosis to help meet housing demand.

Solidspace are providing small sites expertise supporting Allies & Morrison in producing a characterisation study for Ealing Council. With the drive of the Mayor’s Good Growth agenda and the small sites policy in the draft New London Plan, all London boroughs must face the challenges and opportunities of accounting for small sites, that in aggregate, contribute to increasing the number of homes being delivered for Londoners while ensuring this creates places that function well, are sustainable and where people want to live. The focus of our small sites research and analysis in Ealing is to identify small site types which repeat across the borough, in order to provide a steer and advice on small sites that can cumulatively make a significant contribution to delivering housing. We have identified a number of small site types across the borough and undertaken capacity studies with design code suggestions, providing clear advice on how these…

Solidspace is supporting Allies and Morrison in developing the characterisation study for London Borough of Harrow. We will identify example small sites during the initial character assessment and through officer suggestions, and apply our commercial experience of delivering difficult small sites to assess delivery challenges and high level viability considerations. Image by AMUP, 2019

Solidspace were commissioned by Westminster Council to carry out a feasibility report for a number of privately-owned sites in the borough that were to form part of the Council’s Development Opportunity Framework. The document prepared by Solidspace set out broad principles for development in the area, then studied the opportunities for individual sites, highlighting variations in height and massing as well as contextual responses and a schedule of areas.