On July 27, 2018, Countryside Development and Home Group Developments were selected as the redevelopment partners for a £137 million regeneration project in north London, England. The Brent Borough Council picked the two firms for this housing-based initiative, which is designed to revitalize the Peel Precinct of South Kilburn.
Countryside and Home Group will be responsible for delivering 226 homes, plus retail space and a new health center. This £137 million phase is part of the larger £400 million regeneration strategy for South Kilburn, which will eventually build some 2400 homes.
The Peel Precinct regeneration is progressing in three phases, with the first phase starting later this year, to be completed in late 2019.
A bit earlier, on May 9, 2018, the initiative won the Future Project category at the Place West London Awards.
The project officially got underway on February 15, 2017, when the Planning Committee granted planning permission for the Peel site. Brent Council appointed Penoyre and Prasad Architects to lead the design team.
The current phase of the initiative includes:
- 42 affordable homes for existing secure South Kilburn council tenants;
- Up to 184 private sale homes;
- A new health centre with flexible first floor space;
- Three retail units at ground floor – anticipated for pharmacy, café and retail use; and
- Highways and Public Realm improvements including a new public space in front of the Health Centre.
As with any major redevelopment effort, some disruption to residents’ lives is to be expected. For instance, a number of shops at the Precinct have closed, as the Council acquires these properties. The council will continue to acquire property on the Peel site that it requires for the redevelopment.
Some residents have already been moving. Some of the council’s secure tenants have already moved off the Peel site into other properties, some into one of the other developments at Queen’s Park Place. A number of leaseholders have also moved out as the council has acquired these properties. It is hoped that some leaseholders will stay in South Kilburn as the council is able to offer a Shared Equity option on properties within South Kilburn.
Details of the three phases:
- Phase 1 (July 2018 – December 2019) would require the vacation and demolition of the South Kilburn Studios (2A Canterbury Road), as well as 16-33 Peel Precinct. This would allow the first 38 affordable units to be constructed in Block E, housing all secure tenants currently remaining on the Peel site.
- Phase 2 – would require 1-7 & 15 Peel Precinct and 8-14 Neville Close to be vacated. Once vacant possession has been secured blocks A, B and C can be constructed. This will contain 64 private sale units, the health centre and the commercial units (Blocks, A, B and C).
- Phase 3 – would require the demolition of 34-57 Peel Precinct and 97-112 Carlton House. This would allow for the construction of blocks D, F and G (submitted in outline), which will contain up to 120 private sale units and 4 affordable units. (Phase 2 and 3 could potentially be built out at the same time, from January 2020 – November 2021.)
Renderings courtesy of Penoyre and Prasad Architects.