Studio Egret West slashes affordable housing in reworked Charlton scheme

Studio Egret West has amended its plans to redevelop a former factory in south-east London – with the proportion of affordable housing reduced by at least 75 per centAt the end of 2019, the practice and its client U+I submitted plans for 490 homes and buildings of up to 13 storeys on the site at Charlton Riverside, which is a former factory campus used by Siemens to produce cables and other equipment between the 1860s and 1960s.But the plans were knocked back after 37 Bowater Road, the only factory building which Studio Egret West had proposed demolishing, was Grade-II listed by Historic England. HE said the building has ‘impressive massing’ and a ‘spare, functional design’ which foreshadows later industrial design.Now Studio Egret West has unveiled a revised scheme for the Faraday Works site, featuring light industrial units and other workspace as well as 380 homes, across six buildings up to 10 storeys tall. The changes will be lodged as an amendment to the existing application.Under the plans, which are currently out for consultation, there will now only be between zero and 8 per cent affordable housing (up to 30 homes) – compared with the 35 per cent previously proposed (roughly 170 affordable homes).The AJ understands the cut has been made due to the additional costs of retrofitting and extending 37 Bowater Road, and that U+I is working with the Royal Borough of Greenwich to bring in additional funding for affordable housing.37 Bowater Road will now feature commercial and light industrial uses on its ground floor with flats above, including in a proposed cantilevered roof extension, which has been supported by Historic England and the Greenwich design review panel.The scheme will also see the oldest building on site turned into a ‘business incubator’ space with facilities, studios and workspaces which can support up to 600 jobs, while another historic warehouse will be turned into new apartments and workshops.There will also be two new warehouse-style residential buildings as well as a new light industrial building, which will act as a transition from a neighbouring industrial estate.Studio Egret West declined to comment.