Category: Housing

Work to start on Canalside – the regeneration of Sheerwater

Posted on | by Akiko Design
Artist’s impression of view across the wetland area in the central park

Work on the Canalside regeneration of Sheerwater will begin soon, after the latest plans were approved by Woking Borough Council.
This major project will create nearly 1200 new homes, almost half of which will be affordable housing. The old 1950s housing stock will be replaced with a variety of high quality new homes for rent and sale that are energy efficient and cater for people through all stages of life.

In preparation for an early start to construction, empty property has been secured and made safe.

Woking Borough Council’s Planning Committee last night approved the latest hybrid planning application submitted by ThamesWey Developments Ltd. It gives consent for up to 1,142 homes with detailed consent for 695 of these, taking the total number of homes with full planning permission to 834.

ThamesWey Chief Executive Mark Rolt said: “We’re looking forward to getting started on making the vision for Canalside come to life. This is a fantastic project that will breathe new life into the area.

“The ThamesWey team, our architects, and other development partners have remained committed over the long lead-up to this decision and we are all keen to begin work.”

Canalside is a 74-acre (30-hectare) development of contemporary homes set within distinct neighbourhoods built around a large central parkland area – the development’s ‘green heart’.

Sustainable Housing Retrofit – Cowshot & Manor Crescent

ThamesWey’s energy efficiency “make-over” of 50 former military properties was completed towards the end of 2018. Solid wall insulation, insulated roof tiles and solar panels were installed to help make these properties more comfortable and lower the fuel bills for tenants.

After acquiring the former military properties in 2008, ThamesWey Housing let the properties, at affordable rent to families on the council’s housing register. ThamesWey was shortly made aware of concerns regarding condensation, damp and mould issues, high energy bills, roof leaks and water penetration during wind driven rain. As a result, ThamesWey decided to undertake an estate wide external improvement programme to address the concerns identified by the tenants.

Inspiration for the project came from concern for tenants’ welfare and a desire to transform the properties in a way that supports the company’s core beliefs about building sustainable communities and environmentally-friendly quality homes.

The works included:

  1. Replacing the roof covering and extending the eaves & overhang to provide increased protection during bad weather.
  2. Insulating the roof void with 300mm quilt and 50mm rigid celotex between the rafters.
  3. Replacing the PVCu cladding with Wetherby Epsitherm external wall insulation and applying the Wetherby silicone render system with brick pattern effect to the cavity brickwork areas.
  4. Installing extractor fans in each kitchen and bathroom and upgrading to combination boilers.
  5. Installing 1.65 kW peak photovoltaic roof panels and trialling battery storage on 11 properties.

ThamesWey’s aspiration was to eliminate the defective building fabric with the outcome of providing homes that are warm, damp free, economical to run for the residents and low maintenance.

The works have resulted in an enhanced environmental performance, demonstrated by an improved Energy Performance Certificate rating of a C from a former E rating. Based on an example before EPC, the resulting potential fuel saving per year for each resident is over £500.

The transformational impact is homes that are now modern looking, high energy efficiency, warm and more cost effective to run.

Sustainable Housing – Rydens Way

‘Vantage’ is a development of over forty new 2, 3 & 4 bedroom houses and 1 & 2 bedroom apartments at Rydens Way, Old Woking, Surrey. The development provides a mix of both affordable housing for rent and freehold housing placed on the open market for sale.

The scheme was commissioned by ThamesWey Developments for ThamesWey Housing and built by local housebuilder William Lacey Group. Vantage is a development of properties ranging from apartments to houses that combine traditional architectural styles with high standards of sustainable design.

The development is built to the Code for Sustainable Homes Levels 3 and 4 and has achieved very high standards of energy and water efficiency.

The project sought to make best use of a difficult linear site whilst also delivering improvements in access for existing residents. This was achieved through the creation of ‘home zones’ which combine new car parking, safer access for buses and new planting.

The houses were built using ICF (insulated concrete formwork) to achieve very high standards of insulation. Internally, the properties are bright and airy, with high quality modern finishes. The properties are rendered or clad with attractive brick elevations with stone cills under grey tile roofs, set against either brick walls or landscaped gardens. Garden sheds, water butts, rotary washing lines and compost containers are provided, enclosed by close board fencing and/or brick walls. The properties also have off street parking within the home zones.

Sustainable building design has been practised through the construction of these new homes, ensuring that where ever possible the properties have a positive effect on their environment and their inhabitants, aiming to provide all the benefits of an ‘eco-house’ without intruding on the traditional approach to family home design. Energy efficient features include:

• Photovoltaic (PV) solar slates positioned on the roof, which seamlessly integrate into the roof finish, generating electrical energy from the sun
• Extremely high levels of insulation and air tightness built into the whole building fabric
• Double glazed PVCU framed windows
• Rainwater harvesting recycling water for use in the toilets andwashing machines
• High efficiency gas fired condensing boilers with radiators
• Thermostatic controls for individual rooms
• Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems

Rydens Way

Hoe Valley Scheme

In March 2012, the Hoe Valley Scheme was officially opened to the public, marking the completion of one of Woking’s biggest civil construction projects for a generation, providing new community facilities and flood protection.

The £44 million scheme was delivered by ThamesWey Developments on behalf of Woking Borough Council, and its partner in the flood defence work, the Environment Agency. The Scheme was ThamesWey Developments first heavy civil engineering project and included delivery of new flood defences to protect over 198 homes; land remediation; highways improvement including commissioning a new bridge; new state-of-the-art community facilities; extensive public open space; and new wildlife habitats. The scheme was delivered with VolkerFitzpatrick’s Civils and Building divisions and received a CEEQUAL “Excellent Whole Project Award”.

Key facts and figures

  • Over 320,000 man hours went into constructing the Hoe Valley Scheme.
  • Over 4km of reinforced concrete walls and earth embankments have removed almost 200 residential properties from the flood plain and protected the gardens of a further 60 properties, while earth bunds protect Westfield School from flooding.
  • Over 12 acres of contaminated land, or approximately 220,000 tonnes of soil has been excavated from a waste tip, from former remediated to remove glass, plastics and other contaminants, and replaced to form a new park and a housing development site for 150 new homes.
  • A new state-of-the-art community building costing £5 million provides a permanent home for nine local community groups: including local Scouts, Guides, Cadet Corps and sports clubs.
  • Highway improvements provided improved traffic flow and access to community facilities.

Specifically adapted to suit the needs of each community group, the purpose built, highly energy efficient building benefits from:

  • A low maintenance ‘living’ roof, providing a habitat for local wildlife.
  • Roof-lights, sun-pipes and light-wells that serve to bring natural light into the building.
  • Power and heat provided by ThamesWey’s CHP network.

In addition, Woking Sea Cadets have been re-housed in a purpose-built building alongside Goldsworth Park Lake, featuring meeting rooms, a fully equipped kitchen, office areas and a special boat yard area at the back of the building.

The Hoe Valley Community Building has been awarded a ‘Very Good’ standard from BREEAM, the environmental rating system for new buildings, and has also achieved:

  • The creation of a new landscaped country park designed to promote mixed ecology and encourage wildlife biodiversity, featuring two new play parks, footpaths and cycleways to increase accessibility to all areas of the park.
  • A programme of habitat reinstatement to encourage wildlife back to the Hoe Valley through the creation of ponds, meadowlands, bat boxes and habitats for water voles and Great Crested Newts.
  • The replanting of almost 1,000 saplings.

Speaking at the official opening, Cllr John Kingsbury, Leader of Woking Borough Council, said: “The Hoe Valley Scheme is the realisation of a 20-year vision by the Council to regenerate the Hoe Valley and significantly reduce the risk of flooding that has blighted the area for years. Under budget and on time, the scheme has transformed and revitalised an area of the Borough that was once a domestic waste site, into an area for people to enjoy for generations to come.

“The scheme has allowed us to make necessary and important improvements to the highway infrastructure, rebuilding three highway bridges and two pedestrian/ cycle bridges across the Hoe Stream. We have relocated nine community groups into two new state-of-the-art community buildings that have been designed around their needs and made new land available for development to accommodate over 150 new homes for sale.”