South Kilburn Regeneration / Complex Consortium Client   

Delivering affordable homes and creating communities

This £700 million scheme is providing around 1500 new private and 1500 new affordable homes, together with the associated infrastructure and transport improvements, a new school, healthy living centre, community space, offices and sports facilities. EC Harris has provided a comprehensive service to manage the project through its competition phase and master planning; a precursor to a tenant ballot and proposed Large Scale Voluntary Transfer.

This is one of the largest regeneration projects in London. It aims to create a revitalised and sustainable community. The complex consortium delivering this consists of leading house builders, Bellway Homes and Taylor Wimpey plus Hyde Housing Association.

The challenge has been to develop a scheme that meets the aspirations of existing residents and the requirements of the key statutory stakeholders including: the Local Authority, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Greater London Authority and South Kilburn New Deal for Communities. The objective being to deliver a vibrant, sustainable community that will obtain a ‘yes’ vote from tenants and is financially deliverable with a timetable and programme that minimises disruption to existing residents.

Creating solutions

The existing masterplan for the New Deal for Communities area was revitalised to address and refine viability issues. The consortium’s approach created new plans for homes and the broader environment that suited higher density living and focused upon an engagement plan for key stakeholders; to ensure input at the right time and right level. Innovative financial modelling has provided transparency of financial viability and the sharing of benefits. This has enabled analysis of opportunities adjacent to the masterplan area that could be brought forward early in the schemes life to create cross subsidy.

Adding value

Regular project and tenant steering group meetings were instigated to ensure that the community’s aspiration for a safer, cleaner, efficient and desirable place to live was achieved. A common purpose has been instilled in the development team comprising: the client team, planning consultant, master planner, architect, engineer, environmental consultant and EC Harris. The common goal is to create a high quality ‘landmark’ scheme on time and with the best price and value.

Effective value engineering throughout the design process and effective engagement with the supply chain has enabled a long term commitment to construction cost savings to be made; with all negotiations being agreed on an ‘Open Book’ basis. Further value has been created by using experienced house builders which has enabled the targeting of higher sales values.

The scheme is considered as being ‘Value for Money’ by the Department for Communities and Local Government in providing gap funding. Overall project savings commitments and increased value are reducing the project deficit. An ‘open-book’ policy has simplified interaction of the parties and promoted value for money capture. 

A transparent approach with residents is instilling the community with trust in their prospective landlord and its development partners with EC Harris continuing to make an active contribution through the project and tenant steering group.

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