Our clients Phil and Jen approached us in early 2024 to look at an abandoned property they has just bought in Hackney. Their brief was to look at how to split the early Victorian townhouse property into two dwellings, one as a flat to live in themselves and the other for sale or rent.

After extensive research into the planning context and what was set out in the Albion Square conservation area appraisal and Hackney residential extension and alteration SPD and retrofit SPD, we developed the proposals for a 3 bed flat at lower level with access to the garden and another 3 bed flat on the upper floors, the additional space being achieved through a stepped back, three storey outrigger type extension to the rear. All the new elements have been sensitively designed to be in keeping with the style and materiality of the conservation area, whilst the interiors of the flats will be very contemporary and each one will have their own individual style and character.

The application got gummed up in the planning system and took over a year of re-submissions, re-consultations and dealing with numerous objections to get to a committee meeting and finally get our consent. It is huge relief for us and also for our clients, and we are now working with them to develop the detailed design so they can crack on and build it out. Start on site in early June 2026!