Greenwich Borough Council has given BG Architecture (BGA) and Sanchez Benton the go-ahead to turn a former garage in Southwood Road to create a three-storey development comprising four, two-bedroom and four one-bedroom homes.

The 594m² project follows the approval of seven affordable homes in Greenwich by the same team last month.

Both schemes will contribute to phase two of the Greenwich Builds programme, which ultimately aims to build 1,750 affordable homes across ‘redundant’ brownfield and infill plots in the borough. Phase two is aiming to create 152 affordable homes on 22 sites.

In January, Adam Khan Architects won planning approval for another project under the Greenwich Builds programme: a 100 per cent affordable scheme across two sites in Wricklemarsh Road and Zangwill Road.

The Southwood Road project is the second of several developments BGA and Sanchez Benton are working on for phase 2.

The new homes on a constrained site will be accessed via an alley. The plans also feature a series of public and private terraces accessed by external stairs located on the first floor.

BGA director Edgar Gonzalez said: ‘Designing high-quality, energy efficient homes built using practical, sensible construction methods on former garage sites and other awkward pockets of land within or close to post-war estates is never straightforward, often contentious, yet invariably motivating and immensely rewarding. Over the last several years we’ve welcomed such challenges.’

All of the homes will be fossil fuel-free with rooftop solar panels and air-source heat pumps incorporated to achieve an 84 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions compared with a building that meets minimum performance standards, according to the practice.

Council leader Anthony Okereke said: ‘These latest planning approvals show that despite the challenges facing homebuilders across the country, we are continuing to make headway towards our goal of creating 1,750 new council homes through the Greenwich Builds programme.

‘Social housing is the surest way to provide homes that are truly affordable, with rents that are linked to local incomes, helping to tackle the housing crisis and giving everyone in our community the option of a safe and secure place to live.

‘We look forward to seeing construction begin on these homes, which will join the hundreds of other council homes now completed across our borough.’


Project data

Location Land at Southwood Road, Garages situated between 124-130 Southwood Rd (to the south) and 132 Southwood Rd (to the north), London SE9 3QT
Local authority Royal Borough of Greenwich
Type of project 100% affordable housing
Client Greenwich Builds
Architect BG Architecture and Sanchez Benton architects
Landscape architect BG Architecture
Planning advisor Robinson Escott Planning
Structural engineer Les Postawa Associates
M&E consultant Ridge & Partners
Quantity surveyor Potter Raper
Principal designer BG Architecture
Lighting consultant Ridge
Main contractor To be confirmed
Funding Royal Borough of Greenwich and GLA through the Homes for Londoners: Affordable Homes Programme 2021–2026
Start on site date To be confirmed
Completion date To be confirmed
Contract duration To be confirmed
Gross internal floor area m² 594m²
Form of contract and/or procurement Design and Build
Annual CO2 emissions 84.2 per cent reduction in regulated CO2 emissions compared to a notional development that meets the minimum Part L 2021 Regulations standards of performance.
Total cost To be confirmed
Planning application reference 25/1064/F
Visuals Danny Dimbleby

BG Architecture and Sanchez Benton architects’ approved scheme at Southwood Road