Mayor gives go ahead to ‘called in’ 272-home scheme in Abbey Wood
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has given the go ahead to Eynsham Drive in Abbey Wood development, a mixed-use residential development that will create 272 new homes close to the new Crossrail station.
Designed by Assael and developed by Definition Capital, the Mayor ‘called in’ the Eynsham Drive project after the council deferred and then rejected the proposed plans earlier in the year. The Mayor ‘called in’ the project because he felt the scheme would “make an important contribution to affordable housing supply in response to London Plan policies.”
Assael and Definition Capital worked closely with the Greater London Authority (GLA) to make a number of amendments to the scheme, such as creating additional children’s playspace, increasing the amount of trees and adding more townhouses to the ground floor to create a greater sense of activity throughout the scheme.
Eynsham Drive is set to transform the site, which currently hosts a car wash facility and a PDSA pet hospital, creating an active frontage around the ground floor. The commercial space on the ground floor has been designed for use as either offices or retail, and will also rehouse the PDSA pet hospital in improved facilities, helping them expand their charitable work in the area.
The mixed-use development, located opposite the western edge of the Thamesmead estate at the junction of Harrow Manorway and Eynsham Drive, will also offer a variety of homes at different price points. 35 percent of the total housing provided will be affordable, made up of 28 shared ownership units and 67 social rent apartments, in line with the Mayor of London’s affordability targets.
The homes will be spread over three buildings ranging from seven to 17 storeys in height, and be a mix of studios, one and two-bedroom apartments, as well as three-bedroom family townhouses. To build a genuine community, all entrances will be tenure-blind, meaning no ‘poor doors’, while 10 percent of the homes will have full disability access.
Future residents of Eynsham Drive will also benefit from being only minutes away from Abbey Wood rail station, which will be part of the Crossrail network launching next year. Trains from Abbey Wood will be able to reach Liverpool Street in just 17 minutes and Heathrow Airport in 51 minutes.
Assael’s design has prioritised the long-term sustainability of the scheme, adding to biodiversity efforts in the area. By bringing substantial greenery to the public realm, incorporating solar panels on each building and creating gardens for both residents and the wider public, the project will make a significant contribution to the area, while minimising the development’s environmental footprint.
At the heart of the scheme is a podium wilderness garden, designed in collaboration with Spacehub, which will provide children’s play spaces and specifically chosen flora.
Complementary to this, Assael’s design has also aimed to improve the pedestrian access through the site, providing paths and cycle lands for the public. In addition, the scheme will provide visitor and staff parking for the PDSA pet facility.
Felicie Krikler, director at Assael, said:
“Eynsham Drive is set to be a great addition to Abbey Wood, an area undergoing astonishing change. The contribution of the scheme to the local community is significant, creating a wealth of green spaces, sustainable energy, job opportunities and improving the pedestrian experience through the site.
Our design has sought to create an environmentally friendly development that brings nature and greenery into the area in a playful, interactive way. By opening up the site with luscious green spaces, we hope that residents and the public can interact and grow together as a community.”