Stantec helps secure new homes and community facilities in Westminster

Westminster City Council’s (WCC) Planning Committee has voted to approve planning permission for a new housing-led development in Westminster, London. Stantec played an important role in securing the permission; led by our planning team and supported with engineering and technical advice to ensure a successful submission.

The site, at 300 Harrow Road, will deliver 112 new homes across three blocks, rising up to 16 storeys, and an improved canal-side space and cafe for the local community. Half of the new homes on the site will be affordable housing for those who live and work locally. The new mixed-use development will include green spaces and essential community infrastructure, including a new community hall, nursery and flexible workspace. Stantec is also securing consent for a temporary replacement nursery facility on a nearby site, to be occupied during the demolition and construction phases of the main development.

Kieran Rushe, Planning Director, Stantec UK commented: “This is a real chance to revitalise the local community and we’re proud to have been a key part of the team that secured support from Westminster’s Planning Committee. The site was not without its challenges but we were able to find ways around significant constraints and work with all the stakeholders to really maximise the potential of the site.”     

Stantec’s planning and engineering teams worked collaboratively to achieve the successful outcome. The technical teams provided advice on structural, civil and mechanical and electrical engineering, transport consultancy, ecology, noise, air quality, daylight/sunlight, energy and ground conditions. Through intensive stakeholder engagement, and by utilising our fully integrated design team, we successfully negotiated a taller scheme with more units on a heavily constrained site.

The development at 300 Harrow Road will be one of the first major schemes delivered by Westminster Builds, the Council’s wholly owned development company. Stantec was appointed to work as part of the team alongside architect Child Graddon Lewis Architects. Willmott Dixon Construction has been appointed to assist in taking the scheme forward towards construction.

Cllr Melvyn Caplan, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration and Deputy Leader of Westminster City Council, said “The planning approval for 300 Harrow Road is another important step towards us delivering 1,850 new affordable homes as part of our plan to make Westminster a City for All, where people from all economic backgrounds can live, work and thrive in our city. 

“Set against the backdrop of place shaping work in the wider Harrow Road neighbourhood, 300 Harrow Road is an investment in our community. By delivering this new development, we are connecting our residents with the vibrancy and opportunity Westminster has to offer.”

Iain Savill, Senior Development Manager at Westminster City Council, commented: “I’d just like to take the opportunity to thank the team for helping us achieve planning on a scheme that has the opportunity to truly transform a small corner of Westminster. The proposals manage to balance the technical, commercial and contextual challenges without compromising on design.”

The project will likely begin construction towards the end of 2020 and Stantec’s engineering and planning teams will continue to remain involved for the detailed design and delivery phases of the project.   

About Stantec
Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That's why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind.

We care about the communities we serve—because they're our communities too. This allows us to assess what's needed and connect our expertise, to appreciate nuances and envision what's never been considered, to bring together diverse perspectives so we can collaborate toward a shared success.

We're designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.

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Stantec Media Relations                               
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