Swiss Cottage, London, NW3

Essential Living

18 months

£10.9m

100 Avenue Road, Camden, NW3 3HF

Overview

Our Swiss Cottage project presented unique challenges due to its proximity to Swiss Cottage Underground Station and objections to the development from the local community. Our team's meticulous planning and proactive approach were instrumental in successfully navigating these complexities and delivering the project with minimal disruption to the local community. John F Hunt engaged with the client two years before commencement, working on scheme development and preparation of documentation to obtain planning and approvals from key stakeholders, including LU. We attended planning committees and public consultations in an advisory role. This resulted in an agreed demolition methodology, and approval of pre-commencement documentation, allowing a seamless transition from pre-commencement to site works.

Relevant Experience

Prior to commencing the works, we provided crucial support to our client for two years in obtaining planning approval and overcoming strong local opposition to the scheme. Following our tender success, we diligently managed all 3rd party relationships on site, from London Underground to local stakeholder groups, ensuring seamless coordination throughout the project.

The scope of our works included the demolition of a 100 x 40m, 6-storey structure and the construction of a new single-storey basement, along with bearing piles for the new structure. Extensive planning and approval processes with London Underground were essential to the project's success.

Furthermore, the site's proximity to a local theatre necessitated close coordination with their performance times to minimise disruptions. Collaboration with the local authority enabled us to coordinate vehicle movements along the TFL red route and with a nearby school, further demonstrating our commitment to community engagement and proactive planning.

Thanks to our early and extensive planning efforts and proactive 3rd party engagement, all works were completed within the program timeline, showcasing our ability to deliver complex projects efficiently and with minimal impact on the surrounding community.

Achievements

We registered the Swiss Cottage site with the Considerate Constructors Scheme and won awards for our presentation and care for the community. During this project, we were awarded the certificate for performance beyond compliance.

We used living hoarding to help reduce CO2 emissions and assist with dust suppression. The plants acted as excellent dust suppressors and trapped PM5 and PM10, the main culprits in causing asthma and a myriad of health problems for city dwellers.

We engaged with the local community to deliver art workshops that formed the basis for the hoarding design on for the elevation adjacent to the main subway entrance.

Within the hording we installed electronic video health and safety signage.

Three workers from the local area were employed by us after advertising locally, and one still works for John F Hunt.