Client Design Advisor, Kingston

As the first Council-provided housing programme in a long period, the Small Sites Affordable Homes Programme (SSAHP) was initiated to better utilise council land assets whilst delivering genuinely affordable well-designed homes for local residents. The SSAHP identified around 16 ‘small sites’ – typically rear-access, infill, or carpark and garage sites – and our role was to create a Strategic Design Brief which clearly identified the design objectives for the programme. The Strategic Design Brief also set out the key design standards for the programme, and addressed the typical design issues that the various small sites were likely to face. This included: lack of frontage, adopting character, privacy and access to light & views, integrating external storage, public realm and external amenity, and standardisation.

Other issues RBK wanted the Strategic Design Brief to address was the long-term sustainability of homes for the benefit of the Council’s building management services as well as future residents in regards to their running costs. Input from key stakeholders, including the development team and a range of Council officers, from two workshops led by Tibbalds. were fundamental to ensuring that key issues, challenges and priorities were captured and incorporated into the design guidance provided within the brief.