Alexandra Road, Corby
Corby, North Northamptonshire
A mixed-use, residential-led development on the site of a former cooperative supermarket in Corby.
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Collins House
Hightown Housing Association
Demolition of an existing three storey, mixed-use block and creation of a new six-storey, L-shaped residential building with secure parking in the centre of High Wycombe.
The 0.2-hectare site lies just west of the Eden Shopping Centre, close to High Wycombe’s main bus station and the town’s main university campus, in an area undergoing regeneration.
Services
Sectors
Key Information
0.2
hectares
51
apartments
4-6
storeys
10%
BNG
Our design delivers 51 new apartments in total - 27 one-bedroom flats and 24 two-bedroom flats - with homes arranged as duplexes at ground/first floor and single storey apartments above, in a six- to four-storey form stepping down along Desborough Road.
Our specialist housing and masterplanning team led the planning stage design, moving from two earlier consented mixed-use schemes to an all residential, affordable housing scheme with no commercial on the ground floor, justified by town centre viability evidence.
Following consent, our architecture team took the scheme from late Stage 2 through Stage 3, ensuring NDSS/M4 optimisation and tender-ready production information.
The building forms a contemporary L-shaped perimeter block fronting both Desborough Road and Bridge Street, with a more articulated six-storey corner addressing the junction and stepping down to four storeys to mediate to neighbouring blocks.
The façade composition re-interprets recent local schemes using a brick led palette: buff brick to principal elevations, red multi brick to recessed upper elements and brown glazed brick at base, with repetitive openings, inset balconies and hit and miss brickwork for depth to enhance the streetscene.
A secure undercroft and open courtyard accommodates 28 car spaces (7 accessible), 2 motorcycle bays and 60 cycle spaces, screened by hedging, dwarf walls and a green wall/trellis treatment to soften the service elevation.
The energy approach combines a high performance, fabric first envelope with air source heat pumps and roof mounted PV panels, green roofs and EV chargers to all spaces.
Ecology and daylight studies show a 10% biodiversity net gain via green roofs and planting, and around 75% of habitable rooms meeting or exceeding BRE daylight factors, notable for a dense town centre site.
All dwellings are designed as M4(2) accessible and adaptable, with 12 apartments meeting M4(3) wheelchair user standards, supporting Hightown’s inclusive housing objectives.
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