Connected Living London (CLL) – the formal partnership between Grainger plc and Transport for London (TfL) – has been given the green light by Enfield Council to bring forward its new development by Cockfosters London Underground station, subject to conditions.
The 1.36 hectare development will deliver 351 new rental homes, including 40 per cent affordable housing, commercial space, improvements to the public realm, and new operational space for TfL. The new homes will be delivered across four buildings and will be a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom properties, providing options for all types of households. It has been designed by HawkinsBrown, Mae Architects and JCLA Landscape Architects.
The affordable homes will be provided at a discount to open market rates for rent and all residents will equally benefit from a range of on-site amenities, such as the residents’ lounge, gym and dedicated onsite Resident Services team.
Sustainability is a core focus throughout the plans and the development intends to optimise building performance with respect to energy, carbon, water and waste. It will also include solar panels, wildlife-friendly landscaping, and will lead to more than 70 additional trees being planted across the development. The designs also enhance public access to Trent Park and the London Outer Orbital Path and have been designed to provide around 4,200 sqm of publicly accessible open space for both the local community and residents, with the new trees and greenery replacing much of the current hard surface.
The development encourages sustainable transport through excellent public transport connections, such as the Piccadilly line and the multiple bus routes that serve the Grade II listed Cockfosters Tube station, which became the 80th London Underground station to become step-free in October 2020. A new cycle hub with 60 spaces for the local community, as well as improvements to the existing cycle access and pavements, will also encourage walking and cycling. The scheme has also been designed to deliver a new dedicated pick-up/drop-off area, comprised of seven short stay parking spaces, and to re-provide 47 publicly accessible car parking spaces including 12 blue badge parking spaces to support the local area.
While some of the publicly accessible car parking is being re-provided, the new homes themselves have been designed to be effectively car-free, with the exception of blue badge parking for residents and a car club space. This will help to improve air quality in London in line with the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.
As well as new homes and public space, the development will provide around 130 jobs over the course of construction, helping to support the local vibrant economy and high street, along with the creation of a new commercial space. The households in the new homes delivered as part of the proposed development will also generate approximately £5.3 million per year in additional spending, a proportion of which would be captured by local business and services.
With the capital’s shortage of quality rental properties and affordable homes, CLL was established in July 2019 with an ambition of creating London’s leading mixed tenure rental communities, providing excellent service in a place where residents feel secure and at home.
The development at Cockfosters is the fourth of CLL’s schemes to be given the go-ahead at planning committee. It follows successful outcomes for its applications in September 2020 to deliver 460 new rental homes in Southall, in December 2020 to deliver 139 new rental homes in north Lambeth and in April 2021 to deliver 479 new rental homes above and around the new Nine Elms Tube station in Lambeth. Collectively, these four schemes will deliver more than 1,400 new rental homes across the city, with each scheme individually delivering 40 per cent affordable housing, alongside industrial and commercial workspace and improvements for the local community.
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