SW Architecture were appointed by South Ribble Borough Council to develop proposals for a 15 unit affordable housing scheme on a brownfield site in Bamber Bridge, Preston.

The scheme is intended to set a benchmark for affordable housing in the area and to act as an exemplar of what future affordable housing providers should be pushing to deliver.

The scheme has been designed to achieve nationally described housing standards; category 2 housing requirements and designed to passive house principles in order to provide low maintenance properties that address fuel poverty through passive design solutions and provide accommodation that can be adapted to meet the requirements of an ageing population. The scheme also embraces sustainability, using off site manufacturing techniques for the primary structure and on top of the passive approach to design utilises MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery), air source heat pumps and solar panels.

Our proposals for 15 residential units use a combination of three-bedroom terraced houses, and one and two bedroom apartments to provide accommodation that has been identified as being required in the strategic housing needs assessments for the area. The terraced houses are used to complete the street along Station Road in-filling the gap created following the demolition of the Mckenzie Arms Public House whilst the apartment building is located to the North East of the site, adjacent to the Industrial units on Club Street to respond to the perceived increase in scale. Our designs sought to create accessible, flexible homes, with shared courtyards and community gardens.

Works are due to be completed early next year.