Site details

Popley Islands before regeneration

First phase of Popley Islands after regeneration

Popley Islands, Basingstoke

Popley Islands was one of the London overspill neighbourhoods created in the 1960s, and is largely made up of semis and terraces in quiet cul-de-sacs. At the edge of the estate, stood six blocks of outdated maisonettes that were proving hard to let and difficult to manage.

This large five hectare site is made up of 120 maisonettes, three shops, and parcels of green space - 20% of the site - owned by Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council - including green space between Ascension Close and Cayman Close and space next to Madeira Close shops and the Barbican Pub.

Scheme background

The 3-bedroom maisonettes that used to be on this site weren't ideal for families - five floors with no lifts and deck access - making the community unsustainable and homes difficult to let. The homes also needed major investment to bring them up to standard.

Sentinel worked with BDBC in March 2006 to carry out a feasibility study and community consultation. The majority went for regeneration, and planning permission was lodged in February 2008.

The aim of the project is to provide better homes, a safer environment, better and brighter access, open play areas and more of a 'centre' focus.

Features

A kick-about area of 1600m² and local equipped area of play (LEAP) field of 400m² are also part of the plans. Local families had complained that the old green spaces - often turfed-over mounds of spoil from the original blocks - were prone to flooding and difficult to use.

New footpaths and a new road layout will improve access and gardens and shrubberies will improve the overall look of the streetscene.

355 parking spaces are expected to be provided (One bed homes, allocated one space, two and three bed homes, 1.5 spaces, four bed homes, two spaces, five bed homes, 2.5 spaces plus an additional 24 spaces for the shops).

All the new homes will be built to high eco-standards (CSH3), and one in five will be Lifetime Homes.

Affordability

Homes will range from 1 bedroom apartments with a projected rent of around £75.64 per week, to 4 bedroom houses with a projected rent of around £111.51 per week (excluding any service charges).

• Local authority: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
• Developer: Hill Partnerships Ltd
• Architect: PRP Architects
• Cost: £40m (including £14m HCA grant)
• No of homes: 202 homes, 43 for shared ownership, 43 for intermediate market rent and 116 for rent plus two shops.
• Completion date: March 2012