Urban Splash In Olympic Bid

URBAN Splash (the builder of schemes such as CHIPS in Ancoats, pictured above) is in the running to build 900 homes in London as part of the Olympics legacy.

It will be interesting to see Splash’s take on modern mass housing when the consortium submits detailed proposals at the end of February.

The Manchester-based company is one of six shortlisted bidders for the site at Cobham Manor which sits between the Athlete’s Village and the Velopark.

For this project it has teamed up with Essex based Swan Housing Group, Philippe Starke’s design firm Yoo and construction company Mace.

The competition is being run by the Olympic Park Legacy Company, which wants a “return to London’s traditional family neighbourhoods of terraced and mews houses” for the neighbourhood,.

At least 70% of the homes will have to be family housing, and the OPLC says 40% will include gardens.

It will be interesting to see Splash’s take on modern mass housing when the consortium submits detailed proposals at the end of February.

Tom Bloxham CBE has long talked about the need for better design to meet modern lifestyles and a desire to offer ‘branded’ homes. He sees Urban Splash as an Audi.

Other shortlisted bidders are:

• East Thames and Countryside Properties
• Barratt Homes and Le Frak Organisation
• St James Group Ltd (part of Berkeley)
• Notting Hill Housing, United House and HTA
• Taylor Wimpey and London & Quadrant

With a decision made in summer and the first homes complete by 2014.

A spokesperson for the OPLC  said around 30 per cent of the homes will be classed as ‘affordable’ but said it has not yet been decided on whether they will be for social rent, affordable rent at up to 80 per cent of market rent, or for low cost home ownership.