New, affordable housing developments
Popley Poets, Basingstoke
Site history
The Poets Estate in Popley, Basingstoke was among the 5% most deprived in Hampshire in 2001 and was prioritised for intervention in the Borough Council's north Basingstoke Action Plan 2003. That year, the Pen & Parchment pub and neighbouring health centre were demolished signalling the start of the regeneration.
In June 2003, residents suggested demolishing Longfellow Parade - a block of 50 outdated flats above three shops. Further research recommended extending the re-development area to include under-used garages at Marlowe Close and a pocket of open space.
In March 2005, the council agreed to donate land and outline planning consent was secured in 2007, including rebuilding the three shops by the nearby Shakespeare Road Health Centre.
Scheme history
The main site is 1.5 hectares and the development is at 65 per hectare with 1.2 parking spaces per property. This has been a challenging project due to site constraints with existing homes on three sides and a second site on the other side of a busy road.
Phase I
The first phase included 12 rented homes and 13 for shared ownership in and around Marlowe Close, completed in November 2008.
Phase II
The second phase includes six rented homes and 16 shared ownership apartments, in and around Dryden Close. This completed in May 2009.
Final phase
The final phase is the replacement of Longfellow Parade shops and flats with 30 rented homes and 12 for shared ownership. This will complete in summer 2010.
Features
The overall project provides a mix of 43% apartments and 57% houses. The apartments are arranged in three and four storey blocks, with contemporary cladding and render finish.
The old radburn-style alleyways and garage blocks have been replaced with a new open street layout with marked parked bays and wide, well-lit walkways.
The overall development still provides 108 parking space, and we contributed £108,000 towards local public transport and road improvements.
Two public art features are also included as focal points of the development.
Development details
Local authority: Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council
Developer: Mansell PLC
Architect: Ken Scaddon/Harrington Design + Bloomfield
Cost: £15m
No. homes: 99 and 3 shops
Completion: August 2010
New developments in other areas
There are plans firmly in place for the release of new affordable housing schemes in Newbury, Farnborough and the Popley, Kempshott and Limes Park areas of Basingstoke.
