Sir Frederick Messer Estate

Avanti Architects’ proposal for 66 new council-led social rent homes for the London Borough of Haringey was unanimously approved earlier this month, contributing towards Haringey’s ambitious goal of delivering 3,000 new council homes by 2031.

This exemplary scheme, which will become part of the Sir Frederick Messer Estate, offers 100% social rent tenure homes for the borough; this includes 40% family units and 10% wheelchair-accessible homes. The project overcame challenging constraints including an underground tunnel crossing most of the site, the need to maximise tree retention and preserve daylight/sunlight to existing dwellings.

By creating a bespoke building envelope and compact footprint these constraints are transformed into benefits by maximising green space whilst providing an efficient and viable solution in a challenging market. As an infill development on an existing estate, optimising unused space while balancing development with public realm improvements was crucial from the start. The new scheme will only use 27% of the site footprint, minimising open space loss.

The project has been designed with a Passivhaus methodology, with high performance fabric and detailed assessment of thermal comfort and shading requirements. The new homes will also be dual or triple-aspect, improving daylight and ventilation throughout.

Aligning with Haringey’s net-zero goals, the scheme will be car free with a new pedestrian gateway avenue. A 100% green roof coverage with solar panels delivers a 10% biodiversity net gain and 89% carbon reduction on-site.