Elmington Estate

Character

Phase 1 re-establishes the basis of a traditional street network, obliterated by 1950s and 1960s redevelopments. The whole development has a striking pedestrian entrance from Southampton Way through a gateway formed by two curved five storey apartment buildings with sloping roofs. Other pedestrian spaces are provided, one of which has a shelter wall creating a south facing area with seats.

All dwellings have front gardens, varying in size, but even the smallest can accommodate bicycles and a robust bin store. Rear gardens are completely enclosed within the blocks with the exception of the cul-de-sac, Durfey Place, which is lined on one side by the back garden walls of half a dozen houses.

Monopitch roofs give greater height on façades overlooking the streets, thus producing a more imposing presence and sense of enclosure than pitched roofs usually provide. Four or five storey flats, some with elaborate rooflines, mark the corners of the block, with two and three storey terraced houses between. Effort has been made to reflect the character of neighbouring houses and roofs are similarly concealed from the street by interrupted parapet walls. However, the character of the surrounding buildings largely derives from the decoration around the openings and no attempt has been made to reinterpret these.

Some three storey houses have two storey projecting bays, a traditional motif locally. Cedar boarding has been used on some, but its suitability in housing might be questioned because of its ephemeral appearance. An existing pub and some private flats have been integrated into the block structure and mature trees have been successfully incorporated into the pedestrian entrance.

Roads, parking and pedestrianisation

Car parking is provided on street, in lay-bys on streets off Southampton Way and also in a shared surface area off Benhill Road. Places are also available in Durfey Place and in another small area inside the block. Without any current allocation of spaces, the scheme will be monitored and should conflicts occur a residents’ parking scheme will be introduced.

With the exception of a small block of two houses for the disabled and some two storey houses overlooking Durfey Place, all units face directly onto streets. Two cycle tracks bordering the scheme are part of the London cycle network.

Design and construction

Construction is of masonry load bearing walls with timber joist floors in houses and precast concrete floors in apartment blocks.

House roofs are finished with concrete interlocking tiles while flats have steel standing seam coverings. Two types of red facing brick have been laid in different bonds and string courses of turquoise green glazed bricks contribute to the variety of the elevations. Stained softwood window frames and naturally finished cedar boarding reduce maintenance costs and galvanised steel balconies ensure that all homes have usable private outdoor space.

Clever use of relatively inexpensive surface materials for parking and pedestrian areas gives the appearance of very high quality.

Space standards are up to 40% more generous than comparable schemes, in keeping with tenants’ previous experience in the redundant GLC (Greater London Council) built housing, and going beyond current regulations for adaptability and flexibility. Units are designed to Lifetime Homes standards with lifts in flat blocks, knock out panels between main bedrooms and bathrooms and trimmed knock out panels between the ground and first floors of houses to allow for possible vertical lifts later.

Environment and community

The southernmost block of the first phase completes a square whose other three sides are currently defined by old four storey walk up maisonette blocks. The centre of the square contains parking and a children's playground, with another small playground facility adjacent to the Housing Office on Harris Street. On Southampton Way are bus routes, local shops and a range of schools and further education establishments. The centre of Peckham is 0.8 mile away and underground stations are within 1.5 miles.