Welcome to our Community Hub to display an overview of our proposals for the former Crown Lea site at 253 Wood Street, London, E17 3NT.
We appreciate you visiting our consultation website and sharing your views on our developing plans.
We are committed to consultation with residents and the local community, and will continue through the development and beyond. We are keen to hear any questions you might have and to know what you think about the emerging proposals.
Welcome to our Community Hub to display an overview of our proposals for the former Crown Lea site at 253 Wood Street, London, E17 3NT.
We appreciate you visiting our consultation website and sharing your views on our developing plans.
We are committed to consultation with residents and the local community, and will continue through the development and beyond. We are keen to hear any questions you might have and to know what you think about the emerging proposals.
The site currently consists of multiple industrial use buildings alongside a vacant office building, with hardstanding parking area.
The current building typology consists of industrial sheds of approximately 1/2 storeys. Despite the large area of land, very little employment is provided on site.
The site is bordered to the east by the Walthamstow Cricket, Tennis and Squash Club, and to the south by Buck Walk. To the west of the site is a new residential development comprised of three blocks, with potential links into the site.
Vehicular access is off Wood Street, with a service road into the centre of the site.
The site is currently an underused industrial piece of land situated off Wood Street bordering Buck Walk, the cricket ground and its associated car park and the Picture House development.
Existing Structures
View of site entrance
View along Buck Walk
Existing structures
Site location and Boundary (red line)
Site location within the wider context
Shared Living
The shared living provided will be designed to the highest quality in accordance with current guidance and ColladoCollins Co-Living Guide.
Shared Living Amenity
Shared Living amenity will be provided at the ground floor uses to create a sense of community and activity.
Urban Greening
The scheme will deliver new urban greening to what is currently an entirely hardstanding site.
Improved Site Edges
The scheme will improve site edges along the Playing fields and Buck Walk through landscaping and will open up the space.
Commercial Space
Shared Living amenity will be provided at the ground floor uses to create a sense of community and activity. Commercial space will be provided as an employment opportunity within the site.
New Urban Realm
New urban realm will be created for a better sense of place for the public and residents alike.
“A form of communal living in which residents get a private space for themselves and share a variety of communal spaces with other residents. The model particularly suits life in major cities. It offers an affordable way of living and enables people to live in central areas that might be too expensive or difficult to access via more traditional ways, either renting or buying. The model is not aimed at a particular group of people, but it mainly attracts people looking for a temporary solution during a phase of their lives that can be described as nomadic. Unlike traditional apartments, it is attractive to tenants due to affordability, flexibility, included amenities, and a sense of community. In the context of the urban housing crisis and urban benefits, it is a good way to achieve optimal density, affordable housing, and an urban community in central areas.”
How does it differ?
House in Multiple Occupation (HMO):
Build to Rent (BtR):
Shared Living:
The SoCo Shared Living
24 Hour Concierge
24 Hour Gym
Cinema Room
Communal Kitchen
Cycle Storage
Laundry
Roof Terrace
Dining Room
Co-working
Each studio room will have its own ensuite bathroom, kitchenette, seating area and a double bed which can be accessed from both sides. 10% of all units shown are designed to be accessible.
View of Wood Street standard shared living studio
View of a studio looking towards door
Arrangement 1 – Work Layout
This layout shows the chair by the table when it is stored against the wall. This allows for good access to the kitchen.
Arrangement 2 – Single Diner – Space Saving
This layout shows the chair by the table when it is stored against the wall. This allows for good access to the kitchen.
Arrangement 3 – Single Diner with view
The table can be partially pulled out to create more space which allows for the inhabitant to sit facing the window with a larger
surface area.
Arrangement 4 – Two people eating
The table can be fully pulled out and moved towards the soft seating to allow a single person to have a tv dinner or two people to eat together.
The ground floor provides the main amenities for the shared living, as well as the front of house, to create a sense of community and activity.
The reprovision of commercial space on site is proposed within our new scheme, on the ground and first/lower ground along Buck Walk.
The sections below show the significant area level changes along Buck Walk and how this has been activated through the two levels of commercial space proposed along this edge. The first section is cut through Buck Walk itself looking towards the commercial aspect.The second section is through the site up against the building itself, through the levelled pathway which provides access along the whole frontage and into the cycle store and plant space.
A mix of red, buff and white bricks are proposed across the building’s facades. The central piece of the building is proposed in buff brick with subtle banding details and recessed elements to the top floors. The northern and southern parts of the building are proposed in red brick with the topmost elements expressed in a contrasting light brick.
Within the local area there is a culture of wall art with some impressive pieces located nearby. In reference to this, the proposed facade allows space for the inclusion of wall art. The aim is to work with local artists to create pieces which help capture the spirit of the local area.
Examples of local street art in Walthamstow:
Brick Colours – Inspired by the surrounding context
Buff brick
Red Brick
Our scheme has progressed throughout the design process, incorporating feedback that has evolved our proposals. Changes that have been to our scheme have been detailed below.
Key Changes:
Initial Scheme
Revised Scheme
Revised Scheme
Initial Scheme
Revised Scheme
Revised Scheme
Initial Scheme
Revised Scheme
Revised Scheme
The emerging landscape design seeks to provide a series of linking high quality spaces that create a strong sense of place and community for the development.
In addition to seven roof terraces, a generous amount of public realm is proposed at ground floor level. This works to create an attractive route along the cricket pitch as well as improve the setting of Buck Walk. Open lawns, rain gardens and generous woodland style planting are proposed at the heart of the scheme.
The overarching aim of the landscape proposal is to ensure the following key landscape aims are provided:
Shared Living
The existing site is underdeveloped for its central location and provides little to the surrounding area.
Sustainable Travel
A short walk from the station, within walking distance to amenities and linked to cycle networks, the site is perfect for sustainable travel solutions. This is reinforced through the site layout with minimal car parking and promotion of
cycle parking.
Creation of Community
The combination of uses and homes proposed creates a vibrant mixed community on site. It also works to provide much need affordable accommodation
Urban Greening
The development looks to add planting and trees into the site which benefit the microclimate impacting noise, surface water and temperature as well creating spaces that bring comfort and joy.
Building Fabric
The design of the massing and articulation considers the embodied, operational energy and waste generation of the building.
Quality of Space
High quality space is proposed internally and externally. This considers natural lighting, proportions and comfort.
Flexible Future
The design of the buildings allows for flexibility for future usage. The depth of the studios allows for the building to be redeveloped into more traditional apartments ensuring the long life of the building. The commercial use is also suitable for conversion into apartments.
Healthy Lives
The proposals look to encourage healthy lives throughout the site through the promotion of active transport methods, formal fitness route and play for all ages. The shared living takes this further through the amenity provisions and WELL Standards.
WELL Standards
In addition to the above the shared living is being designed from the outset with WELL standards allowing them to influence the scheme from the outset. This will work to allow the design to create healthy spaces and encourage healthy living.
The SoCo is a developer in the Shared Living sector seeking to create safe, affordable housing for the people of London. They aim to not just create homes, but to create communities that homes exist within.
One of the foundations for a successful Shared Living scheme, is the activation of the public realm both at ground level and the upper-level terraces. Attractive urban space that is vibrant and used, promoting the associated Suites as a place people want to live.
The SoCo seeks to create a community of homes for the residents through the provision of internal and external amenity space within the building. This is supported by a tech driven platform to enable connectivity between residents, high levels of service, activated residential lounges, gyms, co-working and rooftop amenity.
The SoCo seeks to provide a home for residents who then become connected and invested in their immediate and wider community.
ColladoCollins started in business in 2004. It has developed throughout this period to its current size of 30 staff. Their beliefs are simple, where good architecture is not a choice but a necessity. They also believe that good architects design buildings that are inherently capable of delivery. In order to achieve this outcome, the successful architect must have a grasp of the brief, the project economics, the technical challenges and aspects of the scheme, be capable of telling a story to the various stakeholders along the way, and bring all of these together in a concise and coordinated manner so that the resultant building is legible, enjoyable to use and long lasting.
The practice has a long and successful track record in the design and delivery of housing of all type: private for sale, rental, co-living, affordable (social/discount/shared).
ColladoCollins also published some of the best residential design guides available to architects and designers, including a Co-Living handbook, Residential Design Guide handbook, and Later Living handbook.
Planning Consultant
Transport Consultant
Landscape Architect
Townscape Consultant
136-142 New Kent Road
One Maidenroad
Co-Living Handbook
