- Date : October 2020
We are delighted to announce a Successful Competitive Tender Bid – in Winning Agar Grove Phase 1C, Camden Borough in London. PreConVision Limited assisted the Housing Development Partner during the bid stage working closely with the Logistics Planning Team, Construction Managers and the Housing Masterplan Architect.
It was a pleasure in delivering the 3D/4D visualisations for the Tender Bid interview team, A huge congratulations to all those involved.
The largest Passivhaus development in the UK
The masterplan will provide 493 affordable homes for new and existing tenants in the London Borough of Camden that put energy performance and fuel poverty top of the agenda.
Agar Grove is the largest of Camden Council’s community investment projects. It will provide 493 affordable homes for new and existing tenants, and once complete will be Passivhaus accredited promoting a ‘fabric-first’ approach to energy performance and human comfort.
Agar Grove Estate
The redevelopment of Agar Grove Estate sets a standard for social housing in the UK. As a “proof of concept” for large-scale Passivhaus developments in the UK, it has meaningfully tackled fuel poverty by reducing residents’ fuel bills by 70% and has influenced changes to the London Plan’s approach to district heat networks.
THE BRIEF
Working with architects Hawkins Brown, Mae and Architype, we are providing M&E, Sustainability and Passivhaus services for this 507-home estate regeneration scheme, which includes 345 Passivhaus homes.
The scheme involves the demolition of low-rise residential pavilions and the retention and deep retrofitting of the estate’s landmark Lulworth Tower. It was unanimously approved at planning, with the officer’s report remarking “exceptional in all aspects of design, from the masterplan right through to the detailed consideration of the doorstep experience”. The design has been driven by Camden’s overarching vision to tackle fuel poverty, and create a low maintenance, robust housing that fosters community and resident wellbeing.
The project has been led by the community. Extensive consultation led to the decision for a full redevelopment. The phasing was based around a “single decant” process to maintain the community spirit. This allowed residents to stay on site and move straight into their homes once complete.
We worked with the client to decide the energy strategy. This included analysis of various approaches, including Passivhaus, to determine which would provide the best value over the project lifespan. Assessments of the capital and running costs, risk of fuel poverty, and maintenance implications all fed into this process.
Michelle Christensen, Camden Council comments: “Agar Grove is one of Camden Council’s Community Investment Programme’s flagship schemes. The regeneration of this estate is helping us to build hundreds of new environmentally sustainable homes which will benefit both current and future residents.
The most recent phase of the scheme provided 34 new council homes for local residents, these new homes are bigger and greener, giving families more space and helping to save on their bills. We are proud to be delivering much needed new homes that meet the highest standards, which are green, modern and have enough space for our families to grow.
We are so pleased with the most recent phase of Agar Grove and the opportunities it has provided for local families to move into bigger, safer and more secure accommodation where they can continue to thrive.”
PLANNING PERMISSION FOR PASSIVHAUS
At the time of Planning, 2013-2014, the widely held view was that all developments should connect to District Heat Networks with Combined Heat and Power (CHP). In pre-planning discussions, we proposed that a Passivhaus development with communal heating would perform better in-use than a non-PH development with district heating. The work drew attention to heat losses from district heat networks. Our research persuaded the Greater London Authority (GLA) to grant planning permission for one of the first large-scale residential Passivhaus projects in the UK. In 2018, the GLA announced adjustments to the London Plan, including a shift away from district heat networks with CHP systems.
Find out more about the project here: