Charles Folkard Mews

The brief

Elkins was engaged by Royal Borough of Greenwich to develop an under-utilised site in Alderwood Road, Eltham, into a new sustainable residential development with six new council homes, parking spaces, and landscaping.

The development is one of four sites making up Batch 1A of net zero modular homes for the council’s ambitious Greenwich Builds programme.

Planning and consultation

Elkins worked alongside the council and architects Shedkm, on the design for the development. An initial consultation and online survey took place in September 2019 and the designs were adapted in response to resident feedback to create the final plans for six two-bedroom terraced houses on the site.

Modular construction

Elkins employed modern construction methods to build modules off-site, which were later transported to the final location and combined to create the finished homes. Materials were sourced from sustainable suppliers and the manufacturing process took place in a highly-controlled factory environment to ensure consistently high quality standards.

Energy efficient homes

As well as sustainable building methods and materials, the new development utilises the latest low carbon technologies to ensure the residential elements meet net zero standards. High efficiency air source heat pumps have been installed to provide heating and hot water, alongside solar panels for each house to harness natural sunlight and generate renewable electricity.

Steps have also been taken throughout the properties to ensure energy is conserved, including the installation of triple glazed windows, LED lighting and an energy efficient cooling and ventilation system. These measures are designed, not only to prevent carbon emissions, but also to make the homes more economical for residents to run by saving them money on their energy bills.

High quality design

Having consulted with the local community during the planning stages, the design was developed with careful consideration to its surroundings. The exteriors of the new homes employ a restrained colour palette in keeping with other buildings in the area.

The interiors are spacious and open plan, designed to suit the modern lifestyles of the families that will occupy them. The properties exceed the national space standard requirements and are 100% compliant with building regulations M4(2), ensuring they are accessible.

The final result is a development which enhances the surrounding area, while providing much-needed affordable council homes for local people.