Park Avenue is a new social housing led development designed by RPP Architects that presented the opportunity to develop a scheme that successfully rejuvenates the former hotel site into the surrounding urban context. Working with the Main Contractor EHA Group on behalf of our Client, Holywood Holdings, the scheme is due to be handed over in January 2024.
Choice Housing & Maple & May will be provided with much needed housing for the area. A total of 90 new homes in a mix of 3-person 2 bed apartments & 5-person 3 bed houses have been incorporated into the site.
The proposal was developed from various feasibility studies through to concept design in conjunction with the rest of the design team. Early engagement with Belfast City Planning, as part of a Pre-Application Development (PAD) process resulted in a strong conceptual layout that formed the basis of the final layout. The apartment blocks were designed to respond to the surrounding context in terms of material finishes, massing and existing site level changes. Curved forms were introduced to the primary street corners along the Holywood Road, picking up on the form of the Strand Arts Centre and respecting the listed building opposite the site. The new housing units along Sefton Drive (which was handed over via sectional completion) were designed to complement the existing dwellings opposite. Duplex apartment blocks at each end of the street, book-end the housing to create a more defined corner element.
Our primary focus was to provide a sustainable mixed tenure residential development, designed with a view to encourage reducing reliance on the private car. In addition to this a detailed landscaping proposal was successfully integrated into the site, respectively retaining the numerous protected trees (TPO’s) along Holywood Road and within the site. The project delivers the first, social housing led, mixed tenure residential development in this part of Belfast. Creating a sustainable addition to East Belfast and addressing the longstanding issue of housing need for the area.
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