News: 28th October 2007

Alex Coleman Associates has been awarded the contract for the construction of a house in the grounds of a Grade II-listed building in West Hill, Wandsworth, which currently houses the one of the few remaining NHS dental surgeries in the Borough. The brief also involves the minor re-working of the surgery to allow for expansion and the demolition of a modern extension to improve circulation and access to and from the site.

The site of the proposed development is located at 31 West Hill, Wandsworth, London SW18 and occupies a plot of 476.3 sq.m with a frontage of about 10 metres to the south side of the highway, approximately 100 metres west of it’s junction with Merton Road. To the west the site is flanked by a vehicular access shared with No.33 and the new houses to its rear. To the rear of the site are the back gardens of houses in Lebanon Gardens, and facing it across West Hill are developments in a range of uses. The site is ideally located in a predominantly commercial road just off Wandsworth High Street and being only a short walk from East Putney and Wandsworth Town mainline stations, commuters can be in the centre of London within twenty minutes. Clapham Junction is also located within two miles of the site. Local residents have the benefit of bus routes on the A3, A205 and A217 and many local amenities in the Wandsworth area.

31 West Hill is a Grade II-listed Georgian building dating from 18^th century. It has been in use as an NHS dental surgery since 1947 and has undergone a number of alterations in the form of single-storey extensions to the rear of the property including a garage, small flat and an external wc. The existing building footprint is currently 163 sq.m of which the unlisted extensions to the rear cover 75.1 sq.m. The ground floor is occupied as the business premises of its tenants Westhill Dental Surgery while the upper floor(s) comprise the living space of the building’s now-retired owner and his family. Specifically, this flat comprises two living spaces, kitchen and two bedrooms arranged over the upper two floors. We believe this to follow the pattern of other original properties in the same road and wider area.

There are two main proposals: 

• Demolishing the existing non-listed single-storey extensions to the rear of the property where they are currently cluttered and unsympathetic to the original building. The outside wc will then be relocated to an improved position within the main building. The rear façade of the main building is then to be given the appropriate treatment to restore it to its original, intended condition including repairs and reinstatement of fenestration details and repairs to brickwork as a result of demolition which would be carried out in matching materials and using appropriate methods. The demolition of the rear extensions will free up a considerable amount of space which will provide the area for a new and improved rear garden, laid to lawn with a small area of paved surface near the building. Planning permission for the demolition of the rear extensions was granted on 31^st August 2004 (Application no. 2004/1495).

• The construction of a 4-bedroom detached house and associated parking to the far end of the site which will be accessible via the same vehicular access shared with No.33 and which runs between the two buildings. It is proposed that the new development will provide accommodation for Dr Shah’s family allowing them to vacate the upper levels in the existing building and so allow Westhill Dental Surgery the space to expand the practice, thereby enabling more patients to be seen alongside a general improvement in operating efficiency. It is also Dr Shah’s intention to bring his disabled son to live with the family, so freeing up a council house and the need for the specialist care he currently requires. The proposed scheme nestles into the gentle natural incline of the site to the rear of No. 31 and includes a private and secluded garden. The overlooking from the main house is minimal while the main flank wall of the new house overlooks none of the adjacent properties. The provision of the required two parking spaces creates a ‘natural’ boundary between the properties. Accommodation in the new house is to be arranged over two floors with integral garage, kitchen, dining and living areas downstairs and four bedrooms with bathroom and ensuite upstairs. We believe the style of the proposed development to be in-keeping with other new houses in the area while at the same time being simple and innocuous so as to not upstage the character of the nearby listed buildings.

Forming a Listed Building Details Application, the proposed alterations to the rear of the property will involve:

• Demolishing the existing non-listed single-storey extensions to the rear of the property where they are currently cluttered and unsympathetic to the original building.

• The rear façade of the main building is then to be given the appropriate treatment to restore it to its original, intended condition including repairs and reinstatement of fenestration details and repairs to brickwork as a result of demolition which would be carried out in matching materials and using appropriate methods.

We believe that in demolishing the single-storey buildings to the rear of the original building, the original building will receive more daylight and sunlight while the new development has been designed to receive adequate daylight and sunlight from the outset. Furthermore, the daylight and sunlight available to adjoining properties is also adequately protected. While detailed design will be considered as part of an application for Building Regulations approval at a later stage, it is intended that the scheme will allow all potential users, no matter what their disability, age, race or sex, to be able to enter the site, move around the area and enter the building and use the facilities. The spaces are logical and straightforward to use. The development provides adequate access for the emergency services and there are sufficient escape routes provided. The pavement to the front of the site provides adequate area for congregation and disabled refuge points in the event of an emergency.