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Miller Bourne was appointed from RIBA Stage 3 onwards to develop a design for much-needed affordable housing in Hangleton for Brighton and Hove City Council as part of its New Homes for Neighbourhoods strategy.
We took our design forward from the planning application and to detailed design stage and construction on site (RIBA stages 4 and 5).
The new development comprises three new two-storey blocks, providing 12 new homes, which run the length of Buckley Close, with the southern end of the site given over to providing new parking.
Construction followed the demolition of 48 disused council-owned garages. The new blocks have outside amenity space between each to break up the elevation and provide opportunities for views.
Eleven of the 12 flats are Building Regulations Part M4(2) compliant, with the remaining flat being fully compliant with Part M4(3) (wheelchair accessible).
“The flats look very attractive on the outside and I can’t wait to see inside and hear from the new tenants what difference the flats will make to their lives,” said Councillor David Gibson, joint chairman of Brighton and Hove City Council housing committee. The scheme was procured through the BHCC Partnership and the contractor was Morgan Sindall. The site – a very narrow cul-de-sac – was a difficult site. Access and sequencing for construction was therefore a key consideration in the design process.
Different construction methods were considered. These included a fully modular solution, a cold-rolled steel structural system, and an off-site prefabricated option.
The final decision was for an ‘off-site’ fabricated solution to assist with programming and site constraints. The flats were constructed using a timber panelised system with a brick outer skin. The fully insulated panels were delivered to site, complete with windows and doors installed, and erected by crane.
This resulted in a high level of accuracy in construction and a low level of air permiability. The flats were weather-tight within approximately one week (including the installation of the roof membrane), and the development at Buckley Close was completed ahead of programme, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. As Brighton and Hove City Council preferred their affordable housing developments to be indistinguishable from privately owned flats, the choice of external finishes and materials was key. Cost-effectiveness was also a major consideration.
A buff-grey brick was selected to contrast with the surrounding buildings and to create a more contemporary feel to the flats. The bricks used in the surrounding buildings are non-descript and did not merit replicating/matching.
The use of a light-coloured brick was also proposed as the development was in a relatively narrow road and use of a darker brick would only serve to make the space feel narrower and less open.
