Kensington & Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), advised by Pellings LLP, the multi-disciplinary architectural, property and construction practice, has completed the conversion of a former children’s home to create seven affordable properties at Whistler Walk on the World’s End Estate, Chelsea, London, SW10.
The seven two-to-five person properties, with a mix of flats and two duplex maisonettes, are designed to maximise the use of space, natural light and window locations, and the layout of each unit brings together kitchens and lounges to incorporate, where possible, kitchen/diner areas. The space reconfiguration is in response to the residents’ expressed concerns of lounges and kitchens being located too far away from one another in previous schemes. Two of the units have been adapted for residents with a disability.
The units also incorporate built in storage cupboards and utility areas where possible, and have been finished to a private rental standard with built in cookers, extraction hoods and large feature ceramic tiles within the kitchens, along with stainless steel towel rails and feature tiling within the bathrooms. The large upper ground floor family 3-bedroom 5 person flat also has a separate toilet and utility room along with ample storage cupboards incorporated throughout.
A bicycle storage area has been formed, along with bin/recycle storage, disabled parking, landscaping to the rear of the octagonal building, and additional external lighting has also been provided.
The building was originally designed as flats (residential accommodation), and was converted into accommodation for the children’s home in the 1990s.
Pellings initially carried out a full measured survey and produced an options appraisal with drawings for KCTMO, with input provided by a daylight/sunlight specialist. It then sought pre-planning advice, and won planning consent for a change of use from current Use Class C2 to Use Class C3 for seven residential dwellings which included a S106 agreement for local infrastructure.
Pellings was subsequently retained as Employer’s Agent to produce Employers Requirements (ER’s), and the ER’s were sent out for competitive tendering, with Pellings producing the tender analysis report. The appointed contractor was Keepmoat.
The process involved engaging with both the Occupational Therapist within Kensington & Chelsea, and with the highly active World’s End Residents Association, who provided feedback on the proposal and previous schemes completed on the estate’s Greaves Tower.
Lee Glickman, Associate at Pellings said, “This project was an extremely challenging building to work within, due to its unusual shape and layout, and required a variety of skills from the project team to deliver the scheme to Kensington & Chelsea’s requirements. We are delighted that it has been delivered on time and on budget.”
KCTMO Chief Executive Robert Black added: “This was a challenging project, as we had to work within the constraints of an existing building’s solid concrete frame and this limited the scope for remodelling. Strong teamwork between ourselves, the Council, Pellings and Keepmoat, our contractor, has helped us develop the creative solutions we see today.”
