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Construction starts on £70m mixed-use Kingston Heights scheme

Kingston Heights will comprise a mix of private and affordable homes, managed by Affinity Sutton, and an upmarket hotel

United House has begun construction on the first phase of an outstanding £70 million mixed-use development in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames on behalf of NHP Leisure Developments.

Kingston Heights will comprise 136 residential units, including 80 private apartments, 56 affordable homes which will be managed by national affordable housing provider Affinity Sutton, and an upmarket 150 bedroom hotel. The scheme is due for completion in spring 2013.

The first phase will involve the technically-challenging encapsulation of a UK Power Networks substation within a steel-lined concrete ‘box’ approximately 200 metres long, 38 metres wide and four storeys high.

The enclosure will be constructed using pre-cast concrete for the columns, bridge beams and infill panels, and will require a 1,200 tonne mobile crane to lift the 50 ‘u’ shape beams that will form the podium deck, with an average length of 34 metres, a depth of 1.7 metres and each weighing 70 tonnes, into position.

Kingston Heights will be very eco-friendly, benefitting from a highly sustainable district heating system that will provide all the heating, cooling and hot water requirements for the development.

This innovative system will incorporate a state-of-the-art open loop ground source heat pump system that, as its power source, will take full advantage of the natural heat that is permanently stored in the water of the River Thames - a highly efficient use of a natural resource to deliver the scheme’s renewable energy strategy.

Oasis chooses United House for Waterloo site

The current landmark Oasis Centre in Westminster Bridge Road

United House has been chosen by global charity Oasis as its preferred partner for the redevelopment of the landmark Oasis Centre in Westminster Bridge Road, Waterloo, SE1.

Oasis chose United House after a demanding three-stage competitive selection process, based on a range of criteria including our approach to the project and track record of delivering high quality buildings that make a difference to their local communities.

The scheme will be designed by leading architects Studio Egret West, with whom we are currently working at Clapham One and The Fold schemes.

The redevelopment will help transform the Oasis site into a vibrant community hub which will include new facilities for local residents, charities and community groups.

Oasis and United House will now begin engaging with the local community, stakeholders and the London Borough of Lambeth to develop a scheme for the site. This will include consultation with neighbours, local businesses, community groups and all relevant statutory bodies. It is likely to be a couple of years before we start on site.

A round-up of the year

The gales and freezing temperatures that have been affecting most of the north of the country are finally making their way south as the Christmas break looms. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s decision to veto the treaty change at the EU summit has caused its own political storm at home and abroad.

Stormy weather ahead seems a likely theme for the forthcoming year, although it was pleasing to end the year on a high by receiving the Housebuilder of the Year prize - as well as a clutch of other awards - in the recent What House? Awards.

The award is the ultimate accolade in housebuilding and we are delighted that the quality of our homes and our ability to deliver an exciting and diversity portfolio of products has been recognised.

The past 12 months have delivered a strong performance for United House, with a current turnover of £270 million and a new build programme of some 750 homes, which we are planning to increase in the New Year.

Our strengths lie in our agility and breadth of our business as a contractor, developer and investor, and this has held us in good stead. At the start of the year we formed a Major Projects division and this has reaped dividends with the award of several large, mixed-use schemes, including Kingston Heights and the redevelopment of the Oasis Centre in Waterloo, both mentioned above.

The downturn in the refurbishment market nationally has continued throughout the year. However refurbishment remains core to United House and we are delighted to have picked up a number of contracts from longstanding and new clients. Meanwhile, the ambitious low-carbon retrofit of 200 high-rise homes on the Harts Lane Estate for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham nears completion.

In 2011 our acclaimed development at Central St Giles in Covent Garden was completed, and in west London we have delivered new affordable and private homes for Hounslow Council and Hounslow Homes at the Beavers Lane regeneration scheme.

We have some outstanding developments coming through including Clapham One, which we are delivering in a partnership with Lambeth Council and Cathedral Group. This includes affordable and private homes, a library, primary care medical centre and a leisure centre.

Another exciting new scheme, The Fold in Sidcup (Kent), will be coming through in 2012 and this is also featured in this edition.

We are developing an exciting regeneration scheme at Deptford, conversion of warehouses to create affordable and private riverside homes in Greenwich, plus homes in Soho and the City of London.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our clients and business partners for your support throughout the year and I wish you all a restful Christmas and a prosperous 2012.

Jeffrey Adams
Group Chief Executive
United House

Lord Rogers visits United House’s Deptford project

Nick Stonley, Managing Director of United House Developments with Lord Rogers and Richard Upton, Cathedral Group

Lord Richard Rogers visited United House Developments Deptford Project on 18 November to walk around the site and have lunch at The Deptford Project Cafe. He was visiting with Joan Ruddock, the MP for Deptford, to talk about how the project came about in the first place.

Some years ago the MP asked Rogers, Stirk, Harbour & Partners to collaborate with her on a scheme for The Deptford High Street railway yard. The scheme eventually became the Deptford Project and now, four years on, Lord Rogers and his team have produced a brilliant scheme in collaboration with Ash Sakula Architects, which is currently in planning.

United House and Cathedral Group are joint partners in the project which will completely transform the area with a £60m vibrant mixed-use scheme with London Borough of Lewisham. The proposed development is one of a number of projects which, under the stewardship of the London Borough of Lewisham, are collectively transforming Deptford town centre.

What House? Awards 2011

Steve Peters, Keith Allington, Jeffrey Adams, Nick Stonley and Antony Crovella collecting the Housebuilder of the Year award

United House Developments has been named ‘Housebuilder of the Year’ at this year’s What House? Awards – the biggest prize in new homes.

The What House? Awards are considered to be the ‘Oscars’ of the housebuilding industry and in addition to the top title, United House also won a further five awards:

• Gold for Medium Housebuilder of the Year
• Gold for Arundel Square - Best Landscape Design
• Gold for Arundel Square - Best Exterior Design
• Silver for Central St Giles - Best Apartment Scheme
• Bronze for Beavers Lane - Best Partnership

Group Chief Executive Jeffrey Adams said: “We have a highly talented and dedicated team at United House Development who take a bespoke approach to external design and interior specification.

“Our developments are characterised by outstanding architecture, meticulous attention to detail and a real environmental agenda. Our schemes are delivered by a highly skilled in-house construction team who are in control and committed to creating the very best developments.”

Interest rises in new Sidcup development

Computer Generated Image of The Fold

Construction at The Fold, Kent's most exciting new development, is progressing well. The £20million mixed-use scheme comprising 98 apartments, offices and retail will complete in summer 2012.

The development is obviously catching the eye of the area's discerning buyers as over 300 people have registered their interest since the hoarding went up two months ago.

For more information, please visit: www.thefoldsidcup.com

United House sponsors Donmar Warehouse Theatre Education Programme

Imogen Stubbs with performing arts students from Lambeth College

As part of our sponsorship of the Donmar Warehouse, United House, in partnership with the theatre, has launched an initiative for local schools to encourage playwriting skills.

A-level and BTEC students from Lambeth College, Jo Richardson Community School in Barking and Dagenham and Beacon School in Banstead gathered at the Trafalgar Studios in the West End this week to take part.

The scheme was based around the current production at the Trafalgar Studios, Salt, Root and Roe, and involved working with the three schools to equip the students with the skills to write their own plays, and give them a first-hand insight into the workings behind a professional theatre production. The Donmar’s education team also visited the schools to work with the students on their plays.
The education workshop ended with selected students’ scripts being performed by actors on the stage of Trafalgar Studios, watched by the production’s cast members Imogen Stubbs and Anna Calder-Marshall.

Michael Grandage, Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, said: "The whole of the Trafalgar season is geared towards young people and so I am particularly delighted that the education work for Salt, Root and Roe has been so rewarding and so well achieved. I am also delighted that United House continues to support us in this important venture. Without them, we would not be able to reach out to as many young people as we do."

Phoenix tenants gathering event

Mark Greenwood Contracts Manager, John Ryan Site Manager and Amanda Pearce RLO from United House

On 7 December United House was pleased to support client Phoenix Community Housing’s ‘tenants gathering’ at the Bromley Court Hotel.

Phoenix had arranged several workshops throughout the evening on subjects such as recycling, healthy eating and keeping your home warm and weather-tight. There was also several information stalls including a United House stand where our site team was on hand to answer queries regarding our refurbishment works on the Passfields Estate.

Residents visiting the United House stand were also given the opportunity to win a Kindle e-reader by taking part in a local knowledge quiz put together by the site team.

Spreading a little Christmas cheer

Children from St John’s Primary School singing Christmas carols

United House and Mole Valley Housing Association bought a little Christmas cheer to Goodwyns Estate, Dorking in Surrey, with a festive celebration for local residents.

On Wednesday 14 December, the residents of the estate and St John’s Primary School were invited to the switching on of the lights on the large Christmas tree donated by United House. The residents took part in carol singing by the children from the school and St John’s Community Choir, whilst enjoying a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine.

United House is currently in its fourth year carrying out £35 million worth of improvements on behalf of Mole Valley Housing Association. The improvements include kitchen, bathroom, window and front door replacements, central heating installation and rewiring.

Sharon Carter, Senior Resident Liaison Officer for United House said: “This is the third year we have held this event. Each year it has become more and more popular, with over 150 residents attending this year. It’s a great excuse to get the community together and in the Christmas spirit”.

Students visit £74 million Hale Village

The £74m mixed-use development at Hale Village

United House is dedicated to providing training opportunities to the construction workforce of the future by giving young people the experience of working on a large construction site.

Throughout November and December, in conjunction with Haringey College, over 300 students visited our £74 million Hale Village development.

The students, from both the Tottenham and Enfield centres, were split into 22 groups and were studying a range of construction related diplomas including plumbing, bricklaying, carpentry and joinery, electrical, painting and decorating and basic construction.

The visit included a health & safety induction, and a tour around site by various members of the project team including, Matt Matadi, who joined the site team back in October 2010 for two weeks work experience and has since been employed by one of our sub-contractors as a Trainee Site Supervisor. Having been a student at the Tottenham centre of Haringey College studying bricklaying, he was able to share his first-hand experiences with the students and answer their questions.