COMMENT ON PROVEWELL WAREHOUSES

Topic: Planning Submitted

Unit M, Arena Design Centre

Refurbishment of Unit M, Arena Design Centre

Planning Consultation Summary

Finding a way to refurbish warehouse units that are in need of repair is key to securing warehouse life for the future.

The aim of this refurbishment is to maintain the character of the unit, while adding elements that improve various problems reported by residents. Examples of common complaints include access to natural light, units freezing in winter and over heating in summer. Also elements like more green space, sustainable drainage and water collection.

Design
Externally the footprint of Unit M will remain unchanged, the current overhanging roof will be straightened up and extended by 1m (see pic below). The terrace will be updated, a new render added to the walls and a green roof (plants/vegetation) added to the sub station. Internally, the walls will be insulated, new windows added and the space will be re-configured (from 10 rooms to 9). 

Consultation
Following discussions with residents, a slightly different process of consultation was undertaken. A Warehouse Representative shared the design plans with residents in Arena, and a meeting with the Units directly facing Unit M was held. The plans were also shared in the September Meet Up and questions / concerns were noted. 

A letter was sent to all neighbouring residents on Ashfield Road, Oakdale Road, Beechfield Road, part of Hermitage Road. 

Planning Application / Construction
Prior to a contractor being appointed, the plans for Unit M are submitted to Haringey Council. Once planning has been granted a professional contractor will be appointed. The contractor will have a set of conditions they need to adhere to, these will be outlined in a Construction Management Plan (CMP) and will include additional consultation with neighbouring residents around things like construction methods, hours of operation, noise controls etc.

Themes from the Consultation

Design
The concerns raised about the proposed design mainly centred around impact on daylight / sunlight, perceived changes to the physical footprint and concerns about overpopulating the area.

A full daylight / sunlight survey was conducted by Charted Surveyors Waldrams Limited. This survey confirmed that there will be no impact to light (see pic below). There are no changes to the footprint and the room ratio is being reduced from 10 to 9 bedrooms.

Construction Period
Most concerns related to the potential disruption caused during construction.

A professional contractor will be appointed, once planning is granted. They will have a strict set of conditions they need to adhere to and they will all be outlined in a Construction Management Plan. Neighbouring residents will be consulted during this period – expected to start around February 2022.

A question of whether compensation could be offered was raised.

As this is not the norm, the planning team feel it is only something that would be considered if the contractor fails on its obligations according to the Construction Management Plan.

Operation of the Unit
Some residents asked if the previous tenants of Unit M could move back in and what the rent will be.

Affordability is a priority. The rent will be higher than previously offered, more in line with rents across other Provewell Warehouses. This reflects the improvements and the reduction in rooms. Provewell have agreed to offer the previous tenants first refusal.

Supporting Imagery

EXISTING EXTERIOR HEIGHT

PLANNED EXTERIOR HEIGHT

EXISTING SHADOW – Analysis by Waldrams Ltd

PLANNED SHADOW – Analysis by Waldrams Ltd

PLANNED EXTERNAL ALTERATIONS

PLANNED INTERNAL ARRANGEMENT

New Events + Social Space

Events + Social Space

2 Overbury Yard

2 Overbury Yard is currently a dead end spot in the warehouse district. Hidden away and poorly lit, the yard attracts anti-social behaviour and is often used for flytipping and abandoning cars.

The yard is overlooked by Stone House to the north and Unit 2 to the south. Currently it is only accessed from Overbury Road.

In recent discussions with tenants there was a lot of support to ensure all units have access to outdoor space, which Unit 2 currently does not. There have also been several supportive comments about creating additional space to utilise outdoor areas. Some tenants also feel uncomfortable in parts of the area due to pockets of anti-social behaviour.

The planning team are keen to read your comments about proposed idea. Are the current features included needed or are there alternative elements that should be added?

Through the creation of more studio space, a natural courtyard area is created at 2 Overbury Yard. The following features are proposed:

Landscaping
The installation of benches, planters and trees to create a mix of seating areas for people to congregate.

Ground Works
A new surface area will be installed. To add vibrancy the current design proposal is to use a ground work design commissioned by local warehouse tenant Studio DoDo.

Lighting
To make the space usable day and night, lighting will be installed. Illuminating the Yard will also make it less attractive to anti-social behaviour.

Proposed landscaping design 

ARIAL PERSPECTIVE

ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT THE AREA COULD LOOK LIKE

Design Reference Imagery

Feedback period has now ended.

New Studio Space

New Studio Space

2 Overbury Yard

Based on previous conversations with tenants living in Harringay Warehouse District, access to local and affordable studio space is seen as a priority.

New River Studios and Eade Road Studios currently provide space at affordable rates. Since opening in 2019/2020 Eade Road Studios is now fully occupied and space is once again limited. 

2 Overbury Yard proposal aims to create new work-only studio space utilising upcycled shipping containers. The planning team are working with Container City who have been working with shipping containers since 1998.

Affordability is a priority and all current leases are offered on a month-by-month basis, they can be sublet if need be for gaps in working and they are priced by comparing to local providers.

The planning team are keen to read your comments about the proposal for more affordable studio space and whether the proposed design meets your local needs.

Workshop Studio Space
The proposed arrangement would create 16 x studio workshops, all with access to natural daylight. Toilet and kitchen facilities are included. Internally they’ll be fitted out.

Upcycled Shipping Containers
Modified shipping containers are a fast solution to an immediate problem. They can be installed in a matter of days and, from a sustainability perspective, they have a low embodied carbon and are less destructive than building from scratch. 

Design, Look + Feel
The current proposal takes a neutral approach utilising a standard pallet for shipping containers. The layout creates space to store the Getir bikes and creates a natural courtyard. The proposal has a ground and first floor, without distributing the right to light to Stone House.

Supporting Imagery

PROPOSED GROUND FLOOR LAYOUT

PROPOSED FIRST FLOOR LAYOUT

Updates

‘Protecting Warehouse Living’ What does it really mean?

Feedback period has now ended.

2 Overbury Yard

2 Overbury Yard

UPDATE (17 August 2021)
Following feedback from the original post, this page has been updated to provide more context on the reasons behind the proposal.

The yard located behind Unit 2 and Milk Cafe on Overbury Road has received little attention in general. Currently seen as a magnet for anti-social behaviour and a lot of abandoned cars, the yard is unwelcoming and under-utilsed.

The proposed idea focuses on the need to increase space for local tenants to access affordable workshops and studio space close to where they live. 

The design currently includes the use of upcycled shipping containers, a low impact structural solution that can be implemented quickly to address the current lack of workshop space.

In addition to the proposed 16 work-only workshop studios, the area will be landscaped with benches, planters and improved lighting to make the area usable for tenants and events.

This is a consultation on the proposed elements. Your comments help shape what is eventually implemented. 

Affordable Workshop Studios
Studio space to rent on a rolling month-by-month contract is limited across Harringay Warehouse District. The opportunity to be able to rent affordable studio space locally is seen as a priority. The current plan will create 16 x new workshops. 

Outdoor Space
Comments via this site have expressed a desire for all warehouse units to have access to more outdoor space. The Yard is not currently used for much and this is an opportunity to give tenants more outdoor space. 

Other Facilities
Discrete storage for the Getir bikes would be provided. New lighting will be added to ensure the space is well lit.

New Access Route
A proposed idea is to create a cut through, connecting Overbury Road more directly to Eade Road Studios and New River Studios. This aspect of the proposal is on hold for now.

 

STUDIO SPACE
VIEW ASPECT
EVENTS & SOCIAL SPACE
VIEW ASPECT
NEW PATHWAY
ON HOLD

Supporting Imagery

CURRENT ENTRANCE FROM OVERBURY RD
undeveloped yard behind unit 2 Overbury road
CURRENT USE OF THE YARD
view of 2 Overbury Road yard
CURRENT USE OF THE YARD

Updates

‘Protecting Warehouse Living’ What does it really mean? 

July Meet Up: Notes discussing outdoor space

Traffic on Overbury Road

Traffic on Overbury Road

Overbury Road is unique amongst HWD as it runs alongside a public road. Tenants along Overbury Road have issues with heavy traffic and cars traveling at speed around the corner near Milk café.

Proposed Idea

To reduce the level of traffic and speed of traffic on Overbury Road, the proposed idea is to apply for a change of use and make it into a one-way road. Taking over a number of the current car parking bays for parklets and bin storage.

  1. Change Overbury Road into a one-way street
  2. Add a buffer zone at the north end of the street using a raised table to slow traffic
  3. Broadening the pavement to allow a more formalised version of existing seating alongside
  4. Add parklets and bin storage to some of the current parking bays
  5. Broaden the pavement to the side of Catwalk Place entrance to accommodate bike storage
  6. Trees & greenery down the street through planting within parklets

    The timeline for this project is c.12-18 months due to consultation with Highways, tenants and local businesses. A parklet prototype has been created and is temporarily housed outside ExFed for comment.

Supporting Imagery

OVERBURY ROAD TRAFFIC – PROPOSED

Updates

Responses to comments shared

Parklet Prototype installed for comment

Planting ideas shared for greenery of Overbury Road

Feedback period has now ended.

Trees & Greenery on Overbury Road

Trees & Greenery on Overbury Road

Several warehouse tenants across HWD have created space to grow plants and vegetables outside of their units. Some of the spaces, particularly along Overbury Road, have started to infringe the public pathway by encroaching on the pavement. This proposed idea is a way to occupy the streets with agreement and permission from Haringey Council via a formal planning application.

  • Overbury Road could accommodate new Eurobins alongside parklets
  • Planting is adhoc – some better maintained than others
  • Currently no formal permission with Haringey council to use public pavement for planting

Proposed Idea

Creating a series of parklets along Overbury Road to accommodate trees, plants, seating and Eurobin banks. Additional space created lets tenants utilise more of the outdoor space on Overbury Road

Tree planting and greenery will help change the local biodiversity of the area. The following criteria for planting has been proposed:

  1. Robust specifies that can tolerate pollution
  2. Plants that attract wildlife will be prioritised
  3. Colourful and fragrant planting, mixes of evergreens and perennials that will not be high maintenance
  4. Species that can provide some shade in summer months
Examples:
viburnum
Viburnum opulus

A deciduous shrub. Leaves are palmate and prominently veined. Flat clusters of white flowers appear in spring and summer, followed by bright red berries in autumn. Great for wildlife.

Amelanchier_lamarckii
Amelanchier lamarckii_multistem

An upright, deciduous shrub or small tree with spreading branches bearing oblong to elliptic, dark green leaves, bronze when young and turning orange and red in autumn. Pendent racemes of white flowers in mid-spring are followed by purple-black fruit. Great for wildlife.

arbutus-unedo-3
Arbutus unedo

A slow-growing bush is evergreen with rough bark and dark green leathery leaves. Rosy-pink pitcher-shaped flowers appear in autumn in panicles as the red, strawberry-like fruits.

pittosporum_Tobira
Pittosporum tobira

A tender, compact, evergreen shrub with attractive green foliage and fragrant, creamy white flowers. Delicate fragrance.

salvia_officinalis
Salvia officinalis

A compact, bushy, evergreen subshrub with oblong, aromatic, grey-green leaves and terminal racemes of pale purple flowers in summer. Lovely fragrance and colour.

Planting-bulbs-for-flowers-all-year-round
Bulbs for all seasons

Bulbs offer great opportunities for colour and structure throughout the year. They can also be given to residents to plant, as their planting instructions are easy to follow.

Updates

Responses to comments shared

Parklet prototype created

Feedback period has now ended.

Parklets on Overbury Road

Parklets on Overbury Road

Tenants on Overbury Road have limited access to outdoor space. Some of the units have developed small spaces on the pavement outside of their unit. This creates a tension with Haringey Council due to the obstruction of the public pavement and for tenants with access requirements. Tenants along Overbury Road also have issues with heavy traffic and cars traveling at speed around the corner near Milk café.

This proposed idea is a way to occupy the streets with agreement and permission from Haringey Council via a formal planning application.

Proposed Idea

Using a series of parklets and bin bays along the length of the street will free up the pavement.

  1. Parklets used to create storage solution for bins
  2. Provide seating for tenants to use and socialise
  3. Include more greenery down the street through planting in parklets
  4. Designs of parklets customisable by tenants
  5. Bespoke designs only – no off-the-shelf generic parklet design
  6. To accommodate the parklets will require agreement from Haringey Council highways department to change the street into a one-way route


    The timeline for this project is c.6-12 months due to consultation with Highways, tenants and local businesses. A parklet prototype has been created and is temporarily housed outside ExFed for comment.

Supporting Imagery

OVERBURY ROAD PARKLETS – PROPOSED LAYOUT

computer generated image of a parklet

PARKLET DESIGNS FOR THE TRIAL

computer generated image of a parklet
computer generated image of a parklet

PROTOTYPE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Updates

Responses to comments shared

Parklet Prototype installed for comment

Feedback period has now ended.

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