Projects - Residential - Wardo-Avenue, Fulham

The site of the proposed development is located at 14 Wardo-Avenue, Fulham, London SW6 6RE. It is ideally located and being only a fifteen minute walk from Fulham Broadway and Putney Bridge tube stations on the District Line, commuters can be in the centre of London within twenty minutes. Local residents also have the benefit of bus routes in the area which converge on the A219, Fulham High Street, and include the No.14 24-hour service connecting Putney Heath and Warren Street and the N10 (King’s Cross-Richmond), N22 (Fulwell-Piccadilly Circus) and the N74 (Baker Street-Roehampton) night buses. In addition to Fulham Broadway and Putney shopping centres, there are convenient amenities located in Fulham Palace Road.

14 Wardo-Avenue is the site of a medium-sized mid-terrace family house typical of its period. The building footprint is currently
74 sq.m and it sits on a site of 146 sq.m while the proposed extension will increase the footprint to 83 sq.m. Accommodation is currently arranged over two floors, typical of the age and style of the property, and comprises entrance hall, living room, dining room, kitchen and conservatory on the Ground Floor with master bedroom, two further bedrooms and a bathroom on the First Floor.

Residential Development

There are two alterations to the building being proposed:

The addition of a loft conversion will provide two additional bedrooms needed to accommodate the owner occupier’s growing family. The existing concrete tile pitched roof is believed to be approaching the end of its natural life and is in need of replacement. In so doing, it is proposed that the front section of the roof, visible from Wardo Avenue should be replaced with a new roof to match the original but with extended rafters creating a ridge line set further back but raised by approximately 150mm to allow adequate internal headroom. In addition, three Velux rooflights will be added to allow natural light and ventilation into the shower room and front bedroom. The rear roof will be replaced with two felt covered flat roof sections which step down towards the rear of the property. The flat roof section above the main stairs will include a rooflight to allow natural light to penetrate the stairwell. It is proposed that the redundant rear and central chimney stacks be removed at this level to enable construction. The new walls created at high level at the rear of the property will be clad in artificial slate to match other properties in the area and particularly those in Danehurst Street backing on to the rear garden. The rear facing wall to bedroom 4 will be inclined at 70 degrees to the horizontal in line with local Planning policy concerning this form of loft conversion.
Proposed alterations to the Ground Floor layout include the re-location of the downstairs cloakroom to directly opposite the basement stairs to increase the depth of the kitchen plan as well as the demolition of the rear chimney to free up more space and allow for a modest side extension with pitched roof. The height of the new flank wall on the boundary line is to be 2 metres and the lean-to roof is to be 35 degrees in line with the maximum permissible under local Planning policy. Guttering and drainpipes will be built within the new single-storey flank wall and therefore contained well within the site boundary. The existing living room window is to be removed and the opening enlarged to improve light penetration into the space as well as to create a new doorway through to the kitchen. New Velux rooflights in the side extension will allow additional light into the kitchen work areas.

Residential Development As a result of the introduction of Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk (PPS25) the Government introduced a Flood Risk Assessment regime which from 1st May 2007 required Local Planning Authorities to consult the Environment Agency on specific types of applications for development within Flood Risk Zones 2 and 3.

Most applications within Flood Zones 2 and 3 should be accompanied by a Flood Risk Assessment regardless of whether or not the Environment Agency require to be consulted. It should be noted that the Environment Agency will automatically object to planning applications on which they have been consulted if there is no Flood Risk Assessment.

Flood Risk Assessment

The following Flood Risk Assessment was compiled to accompany the planning application for the proposed development at 14 Wardo-Avenue and was compiled with reference to the following documents:

Preparing for Floods, Interim guidance for improving the flood resistance of domestic and small business properties (ODPM October 2003)
Standing Advice Development and Flood Risk - England (Environment Agency March 2007)
Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk (December 2006)

In consulting the Environment Agency Standing Advice Development and Flood Risk of March 2007, the Agency matrix classes the proposal as D2, being a residential extension of less than 250 sq.m. in a Flood Zone 3. No consultation is therefore required with the Agency. The following Flood Risk Assessment is proposed is in accordance with the Environment Agency’s advisory comments.

According to the Environment Agency options matrix we propose that the floor levels within the proposed development will be set no lower than existing levels and that flood proofing of the proposed development will be incorporated as follows:

The finished floor level in the side extension shall be as per the existing internal floor level, approximately 100mm above existing ground level.
Solid in-situ concrete floor construction with a screed over shall be used as it can provide an effective seal against water rising up through the floor. Solid concrete floors will suffer less damage than suspended floors and are less expensive and faster to restore following exposure to floodwater.
Dense concrete blocks will be used to construct the dwarf walls below ground level which will reduce the amount of water penetration into the external walls
External wall surfaces are to be treated with a water-resistant coating to help prevent floodwater soaking into the external face of the wall, thus allowing the wall to dry out more quickly. The coating will be applied to 500mm above the maximum expected level of flooding.

Lime based plaster products have good water resistance properties and once installed over a water resistant render, such as sand/cement or proprietary sealant, will provide effective resistance to flooding. Following immersion in floodwater lime based plasters over a water resistant render should dry out quickly and should not deteriorate even if subjected to repeated exposure to floodwater. The water-resistant render beneath the plaster reduces water penetration into the underlying masonry, allowing the wall to dry out more quickly without the need to remove the plaster finish. Hence repair costs can be reduced. Hydraulic lime finishes with water resisting additives can also provide effective flood resistance for masonry walls, both internally and externally. As with lime based plaster, hydraulic lime coatings have good water resistance properties and can allow walls to dry out without the need for replacement following immersion in floodwater.
Wherever used, wall accessories such as wall ties and screws will be specified as stainless steel in order to reduce corrosion.
Where they occur, external cavity walls will be designed with a 50mm clear cavity in order to promote the free draining of water away from the internal face and insulation within the cavity will be specified as rigid board with impermeable foil facings that are resistant to the passage of water vapour.
Internal plasterboard wall linings will be designed with horizontally laid boards so as to reduce the number of boards that will need replacing in the event of a flood.
Kitchen units will be fitted 150mm above finished floor level on plastic legs.
Electrical consumer units will be fitted at high level.
Electrical sockets will be designed at 450mm above finished floor level in accordance with Part M of the Building Regulations.