Higgins has been awarded a £22.5m contract to design and build the first phase of the Grange Farm Estate in South Harrow by Harrow Council.
The contract will include the demolition of existing blocks within Grange Farm Close and Osmond Close and the design and build of 68 much needed new council homes and 21 Shared Ownership properties with parking, a new sub-station, external works and services.
Grange Farm Estate was built in the late 1960s and the 282, mainly social rented prefabricated homes arranged in three identical three-storey clusters, have not aged well. They are expensive to maintain and keep warm and have come to the end of their lives.
Working closely with the local community, Harrow Council developed a masterplan that will provide 574 new homes, of which almost half are deemed affordable, along with revamping the estate, which has long been in need of regeneration.
Steve Leakey, Managing Director of Higgins commented: “This is an extremely important project that will provide much needed homes, built to Lifetime Homes standards, for existing and new residents. We are proud to have been chosen by Harrow Council as the contractor and look forward to starting on site in the near future.”
Cllr Phillip O’Dell, Portfolio Holder for Housing, Harrow Council said: “Having Higgins on board to build the first homes at Grange Farm is great news. They are highly experienced in regeneration projects that benefit the wider community. We look forward to working with them to deliver the people of Grange Farm with modern, spacious, high-quality properties, and a fantastic place to call home.”
Grange Farm Estate masterplan was designed by Hawkins Brown Architects. The regeneration of the estate aims to create an exemplary mixed-tenure community, which will set a new standard for mid-density suburban developments in London.
The overall scheme will also deliver a new community centre in the heart of the site and a network of public streets and squares will create open spaces for public and communal use. A series of improved and new pedestrian routes will also increase the connectivity to the wider area and local transport. All routes will lead to the heart of the project, where a new civic square will provide a gathering point in front of the community centre, with a ‘Village Green’ beyond.
