Cressy Place

Cressy Place Proposal - Consultation Events in April 2023

Following our dialogue with residents about the proposal of new homes at Cressy Place in 2021/2022, the Council will be holding two consultation events on the below dates;

The proposed development provides a total of 31 affordable homes and includes the re-provision of the Stifford Community Centre. 10% of the unit mix is proposed to be wheelchair accessible units located on the ground floor, with allocation for blue badge parking.

The consultation period will run until Sunday 30th April 2023, so if you are unable to make either of the above events you can still use our survey form to tell us your thoughts.

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Cressy Place Proposal - Consultation Material

Welcome to our Public Exhibition.

The Mayor is committed to making Tower Hamlets a place where people can live in high quality and affordable homes. The council will work with developers and housing associations to build a minimum of 1,000 social homes for rent per annum (4,000 over the next four years) with a focus on 3-4 bedroom homes.

This is the third iteration of scheme design. The first design, presented in 2020, was a much larger scheme providing 40 - 45 affordable homes with the inclusion of a new community centre. This was a concept scheme which the Council decided not to pursue. The second design of this scheme was smaller, providing up to 25 affordable homes and no provision of a Community Centre. It is now thought that the site can provide 31 homes now proposed as well as the re-provision of the Community Centre.

The site fronts onto Cressy Place, and is a 3 minute walk away from Stepney Green Station to the North. To the south-east is Stepney Green Park which is a 4 minute walk.

Existing Site

A key guiding key principle of the scheme proposals is optimising the housing potential of the site in a manner respectful of surrounding context and character, particularly of the adjacent Conservation Area to the north and west. Minimising encroachment into the existing green open space is also a key consideration so the proposed building is situated on the existing hard-standing & community centre area, which also reinstates the historical streetscape of Cressy Place.

Neighbouring buildings are predominantly four-storey apartment blocks, most notably Cressy and Dunston Houses, which have relatively generous floor-to-ceiling heights, pitched roofs, chimneys and additional decorative features.

Post-war blocks to the east and south are of a simpler architectural style and form.

Proposal

The proposed development provides a total of 31 affordable homes, comprising largely family-sized housing (3 & 4 bed dwellings) according to identified need and includes the re-provision of the Stifford Community Centre with a facility of the same size & specification.

Proposed First Floor Plan

Proposed Fourth Floor Plan

10% of the unit mix is proposed to be wheelchair accessible units, located on the ground floor, with allocation for blue badge parking. Resident and community centre cycle parking and refuse storage will be located within the building, with capacity meeting local planning requirements. Additional short stay cycle parking is proposed on-street. The proposed scheme will be a car free development and will include a dedicated zone for delivery vehicles on Cressy Place.

The existing communal green space is proposed as retained and enhanced, with new play provision and “rain garden” arrangement to assist in surface water management.

Proposed Ground Floor Plan and Landscaping

The proposal is intended to echo the local character with use of brick frontages and a combination of simple, efficient building forms and motifs such as arched opening and inset balconies to reflect existing features.

The simple form of the building will contribute towards an ultra-low energy development. Energy and sustainability principles for the development will pay particular attention to thermal efficiency, a “fabric first” approach to avoid unnecessary energy use. Any residual Carbon emissions remaining will be offset in line with the council’s net zero carbon target, set out in Local Plan Policy D.ES7.

Proposed Cross Section

As a result, to avoid overlooking issues, the form of the building along Cressy Place incorporates a series of projecting bays responding to the width and rhythm of the projecting bays opposite.

The primary façade forming the street frontage is envisaged as a wrap or skin contrasting with the main body of the building which is set back a further 4m.

The articulation of the primary façade is informed by some of the key features of Cressy House and Dunstan House, in particular the projecting bays and arched window heads. This occurs as a repeating arch motif which is most strongly expressed at street level with inset arches animating the public realm.

Cressy Place Geographical Survey Works

The map below shows where the council needs to carry out borehole site investigations; these works were previously carried out in August 2022. However, works are required for the proposed new housing development at Cressy Place, and as part of the ongoing design development for the proposal, the council needs to test both compliance and policy details. A contractor has been appointed to carry out these essential site survey works. The site investigation works are to test the ground conditions for the proposed development and to inform the design on below and above ground conditions and specifications.

The Council is expecting external engineers, Milvum Engineering Services to be present on site for one day only, Friday 10^th February 2023, to undertake ground investigation works.

They will use a breaker machinery tool to break the tarmac in a few borehole locations, which will be noisy for a short period of time. The drilling process is reasonably noisy, but this will be kept to a minimum and will take place between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm.

Please contact Enamul.Goni@towerhamlets.gove.uk­ in the first instance if you need any further clarification on the works. Alternatively please call 020 7364 2985 and a message can be taken on your behalf for further clarification.

Cressy Place Consultation Material

Tower Hamlets Council have embarked on a build programme aiming to deliver 2,000 new homes over a 4 year period as currently the Council has more than 21,000 people on its housing register, with many residents in acute housing need. This is supported by The Mayor of London who is committed to making Tower Hamlets a place where people can live in high quality affordable homes. Cressy Place has been identified as a site appropriate for development. Tower Hamlets Council are also providing a number of private rented homes for market rent for local people under their wholly owned housing company to ensure that the scheme overall is viable. The site fronts onto Cressy Place, and is a 3 minute walk away from Stepney Green Station to the North. To the south-east is Stepney Green Park which is a 4 minute walk.

Existing Site

A central approach taken for the project is the principle of minimising encroachment of the green open space. Therefore, the proposed development will be situated on the existing hardstanding area, which will reinstate the street presence of Cressy Place. Neighbouring buildings surrounding the site are predominantly four storey residential blocks. Though it should be noted that Cressy and Dunstan House have increased floor to ceiling heights, along with pitched roofs, chimneys and additional decorative features which increase their overall height.

Cressy Place Proposal

The proposed development comprises of 22 units, 9 of which are market rent with the remaining 13 units being affordable rent. 10% of the unit mix is will be allocated for wheelchair accessible units on the ground floor with associated blue badge parking. Cycle parking and refuse storage capacity will each meet local planning requirements. A Parking Bays survey has been undertaken which has resulted in parking spaces being provided, accounting for displaced parking, blue badge parking and provision for new family sized units. The landscape design scheme proposes to resurface the current access route and transform it into a community space with outdoor amenities, a route to the new play area, and into the open space. The proposal will provide a small informal play area for younger children.

Each dwelling is designed to the Nationally Described Space Standard and current Building Regulations. The proposal is intended to echo the local character with principal use of brick frontages.