Peabody’s proposed new development on Underwood Road in Tower Hamlets will provide much needed affordable homes for local people while also commemorating a neglected piece of local history.
An artist's representation of the new development
Peabody plans to build around 33 homes on the site on 22-28 Underwood Road. The large majority will be for people on low incomes or for shared ownership. Some will also be available for sale and for market rent to ensure the scheme is financially viable.
The existing buildings on 22-28 Underwood Road
The existing buildings on the site were used as a Jewish maternity
hospital in the early 20th century. They are in a dilapidated state and
have not been occupied since 2005. Most recently, they were used as a
primary school and social services office.
In a report carried out on the buildings, English Heritage noted the
site’s historical interest but said that the buildings had “negligible”
architectural significance. The buildings currently give no indication
of the site's history.
We have explored a number of options that involve keeping the existing
buildings. None of these options have proved feasible as they would
limit both the number of the homes and the layout of any new residential
development, which would prevent the scheme from being financially
viable.
How we propose to commemorate the site's history
We're committed to recognising and commemorating this site's history and have proposed a number of measures to achieve this.
These measures include naming the new building appropriately, perhaps
after one of the important figures in the site's history, applying for a
commemorative blue plaque, and incorporating the history of the site
into the design of the façade of the new building.
We have also instructed a historic building consultant to prepare a
detailed Historic Building Recording of the existing building. This will
be provided to the Tower Hamlets Archive and be made available to
anyone who has an interest in the history of the building.
Working with the local community
We have held one public consultation event so far. This event was well-attended and feedback was extremely positive. There is a shortage of affordable housing in the borough and local residents are keen for regeneration of the area to take place.
A second public consultation is scheduled for Monday 7 November (find out more here) prior to the submission of our planning application and the demolition of the existing buildings. This will be an opportunity for local people to review our proposals and for those interested in the history of the site to become involved in the various commemorative steps we have put forward.
Building for people now and into the future
We are excited to be delivering desirable, affordable homes in Tower Hamlets that will benefit local people. The measures we have proposed will ensure that the new building recognises and commemorates the past, while also serving a vital function for the East End community now and into the future.
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