Favourite House

Type/size: 18 residential dwellings

Location: Darlaston

Status: Completed 2018

Contract Value: £2 Million

Construction Type: Traditional masonry

Client: Accord Housing Association (In-house scheme)

Scheme Overview:

Favourite House is new build apartment block of 18 units located in Darlaston. It was designed and built for Accord Housing Association to replace an existing building on the site which was no longer fit for residential use.

The redevelopment sits on the corner of Bilston Street and Church Street and is located within a largely residential area on the northern edge of Darlaston town centre. The site was previously occupied by existing flats (called Favourite House) and a smaller commercial property, with the Darlaston “Sons and daughters of rest” social club adjoining the property on its eastern boundary.

The original Favourite House was a large three storey Victorian building standing on the same footprint as the new proposal. During both planning and local neighbourhood consultation we had to demonstrate that our building would be to a similar height and massing as the original to avoid an adverse effect on the surrounding residential properties. Especially in terms of overlooking/overshadowing but at the same time provide a landmark building for this corner plot.

The new proposals consist of a 50/50 split of 1 and 2 bedroom apartments with two stairwell cores for access over three storeys. All apartments are 100% affordable rent in tenure.

The new building is formed in a l-shape to address the two main street frontages with a rear parking courtyard and amenity space accessed via a vehicular entrance adjacent to the “Sons and daughters of rest” building. The building line is set back by at least 1200mm to provide a buffer zone between the pavement and habitable rooms at ground floor level with railings and defensive shrub planting to reinforce this. The north-east part of the site accommodates the relocation of an existing sub-station which is accessible from the street.

Materials for the parking and access road have been carefully considered and arranged in the style of a shared surface space to minimise the impact on the amenity space. This approach provides a pleasant view and a visual extension of the communal gardens.

Inspiration for the elevational style came from the prominent gable ends and tall windows proportions of the surrounding Victorian properties and we have attempted to recreate this but in a more contemporary way. The flats are three storey in scale with the top floor stepping down to 2.5 storeys with box dormer windows on the outer wings of the plan to reduce the height alongside adjacent buildings as requested by the planners during pre-application discussions. A contemporary mono-pitch gable feature is proposed to highlight the corners units types with shallow eaves to create a seamless appearance between the roof and wall. A variety of roof heights and a stepped frontage provides visual interest along the street with sections of the façade projecting and breaking through the eaves line.

A combination of brick with areas of black horizontal cladding is provided with lighter cladding for the projecting façade elements. The roof is tiled in mock slate, curtain walling highlights the stairwells and dark grey window frames contrast with the different cladding materials.