Located in the Rainham West Site Specific Allocations area, the development is designed by Maccreanor Lavington Architects, and is touted as the largest Passivhaus scheme in East London. The project will deliver affordable housing for affordable rent designed to the highest level of energy efficiency compliant with the Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH) and Passivhaus.
The development comprises 51 houses and apartments together with amenity spaces, car and cycle parking, landscaping, pumping station and associated works. The scheme proposes the erection of 51 dwellings forming four separate, linear blocks around a rectangular layout. The northern block will be a three-storey building comprising 17 apartments; while the western and eastern blocks would each comprise a terrace of eight, two-storey units. Each of the four blocks will have a mono pitched roof. The houses will comprise 26, four-bedroom units and eight, three-bedroom units. The flats include 12, two-bedroom units; four, one bedroom units; and one, four-bedroom unit. The units will range in size from 60.9 square metre net internal area to 125.8 square metre. Main cladding material would be brick.
The development will employ the ecoTECH CfSH Build System and ecoTECH Passive Build System, which are high quality, factory engineered integrated build systems that deliver high quality zero carbon homes at a cost equal to traditional build.
As a turn-key or product and install delivery solution, the ecoTECH Build Systems are designed to take the risk out of zero carbon building offering price, specification and delivery certainty. The systems are also designed to maximise natural light and ventilation. The factory built closed timber frames are supplied to site complete with breather membranes, insulation and plasterboard with Secured By Design triple-glazed windows and doors all pre-installed to ensure air tightness. Climate Energy Homes U-Value of 0.15W/m2K is critical for CfSH 4,5,6 and Passivhaus.
The London Borough of Havering planning committee gave a green light for the new development in February 2013. It would be built on a site acquired from the Greater London Authority at New Road, Rainham, Essex.
