Granville New Homes

The London Borough of Brent developed a masterplan for the South Kilburn area with South Kilburn New Deal for Communities in 2005. This set out a vision to transform the area into a safe, sustainable urban quarter in which people were proud to live, learn and work.
 

Creating a strong brief

Brent Council used their position as a public sector client to ensure that Granville New Homes met its policy ambitions for the area. High standards for design and sustainability were set in the brief so that the scheme could serve as a showcase for the wider masterplan area.

The council carefully considered its development partners and ran a design competition to select the design team for. Existing council residents that had been selected to move into the new scheme helped select Levitt Bernstein Associates as the winning team.
 

Involving local residents throughout

Residents remained closely involved during design development thanks to a highly innovative consultation process. South Kilburn New Deal for Communities funded a training programme for residents to ensure that residents had the skills and knowledge to actively contribute to the process.

This training was delivered by The Glass-House. It included study trips around the UK and the Netherlands and introduced residents to a wide variety of new housing types, allowing them to make informed decisions. This raised the ambitions of residents and helped them contribute to their new homes.

The residents’ contribution is most visible in the distinctive façade material used at Granville New Homes, selected for its appearance and high thermal properties. The residents’ close involvement in all aspects of the designs has helped the council foster a pride of place in the scheme.