Press Release: Eastcote Lane Northolt, London Borough of Ealing

Eastcote Lane is one of three sites Ealing Council obtained direct funding from the HCA on which to build the first local authority houses for social rent for 20 years. The scheme incorporates 30 apartments and 6 houses on a Council owned brown field site next to Northolt tube station on the Central Line. The site is very close to local shops and services.

The scheme is also adjacent to a new Council leisure centre opened in January 2010, and innovative features of the scheme include a link to the CHP system in the leisure centre to use surplus heat generated by the facility in order to reduce energy consumption and costs for residents in the housing scheme and contribute to it achieving Level 4 in the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The site lies between gentle curve of Eastcote Lane to the North and railway cut to the south. The site is not of high ecological value, but a green corridor runs alongside the railway embankment boundary.

Massing and articulation is therefore informed by the shape and character of the site, orientation, the height of the adjacent leisure centre and smaller grain of predominantly two storey residential areas around. Buildings are arranged to follow the curve of Eastcote Lane and create a strong frontage definition articulated to give a sense of rhythm.

The two four storey flatted blocks relate to the height of the leisure centre, and houses step down to three and two storey. Blocks also step down towards the south providing flats with generous balconies and roof terraces and taking advantage of the passive solar contribution. Houses are formed with green roofs whose tilt is broadly aligned with the slope of the railway embankment and parts of the roofs are given to south facing PV’s.

Detailed planning consent was obtained in January 2010. The construction is to commence on site in May 2010 for completion in Spring 2011, achieving the deadline set by the HCA.