Elmgrove House

Client: ASRA Greater London Housing Association
Value: £16 million
Location: Plumstead, South East London

Elmgrove House is a design and build project on the site of a former nursing home, featuring 119 new homes in a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes and duplex apartments, 12 specifically designed for wheelchair users. The project also offers 300 sq m of commercial office space at ground floor level and an underground car parking system for 60 cars, including six spaces for disabled residents.

The development consists of two elements: a seven storey and an 18 storey reinforced concrete frame with podium slab. The podium slab also provides communal seating and a children’s play area. Coloured panels on the south-facing tower shade the walkways and podium and add a striking visual effect to the project. Green roofs encourage wildlife to the area and a central boiler plant running on wood pellets provides renewable energy for the whole building, reducing carbon emissions from the homes and keeping running costs low for the residents

The building achieves an Eco Homes rating of “Very Good” and was awarded “Demonstration Status” by Construction Excellence and “Performance beyond Compliance” by the Considerate Constructors Scheme. It was also commended in the LDSA (London District Surveyors Association) Building Excellence Awards 2011.