Mae given OK for 55

May 24, 2023

The scheme at the old Hartley Centre on Barking Road comprises 55 one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom flats, exclusively for people over 55.

The building's ground floor will have a health centre featuring reception, waiting room, treatment and consultation areas.

It is set to be built by Populo, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newham Council, which is acting as development manager on behalf of the council.

Newham's planning committee, which approved the scheme last week, said it would cause a ‘very noticeable loss of light for residents of neighbouring sites on Barking Road, as well as ‘high level overlooking in the direction of existing gardens and windows’.

But they concluded that the ‘harm that that would be caused to neighbours is outweighed when taking into account the nature of the transformative change’ to the site.

They also said that they were satisfied that the scheme provided ‘a suitably high quality of accommodation’ as all homes would exceed space standards, and there would be no north-facing single-aspect flats.

Our scheme consists of two blocks, one nine and the other seven storeys tall. The first two floors will accommodate a new community health centre with space for two GP surgeries, while the upper floors will contain flats for those aged over 55. A communal lounge and landscaped garden for the residents is located on the third floor between the two residential blocks. In addition, all the apartments will feature private balconies offering views over the garden and of the adjacent streets.

At the back, the taller block will step down to meet the two-storey residential buildings on Hartley Avenue. The elevations will use a pale red brick for the plinth and darker brick on the upper portions, reflecting the buildings in the area. Balcony balustrades wrap around the corner of the buildingLondon and are in a contrasting white reflecting the palette of civic buildings in the area.

All the apartments are designed to conform to Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation recommendations, including level thresholds, generous circulation space, accessible furnishings and flexible layout that will accommodate live-in carers if and when it becomes necessary.

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Tagshealth centre Later living Newham Council