Lisgar Terrace, London

Lisgar Terrace in Hammersmith and Fulham is an inter-war development that Southern Housing Group built in 1928 to provide homes for those who needed it the most. Last refurbished in 1970, the scheme has suffered from a long term lack of investment with building conditions deteriorating and not meeting current building regulations.

By regenerating Lisgar Terrace, Southern Housing Group aims to provide affordable and quality homes in an attractive and safe living environment to residents and improve the quality of life for existing residents, whilst achieving as many of the criteria for lifetime homes as possible.

Although not in a conservation area, Lisgar Terrace is flanked on either side by conservation zones. With this in mind, our client and planners alike were keen to retain the look and feel of the original scheme, enhancing existing features where possible.

Existing mansion blocks have been stripped back to shell and core, rewired, insulated and refurbished in order to comply with modern space and living standards for affordable housing. The communal areas have benefited from the restoration and preservation of period features whilst installing lifts and rooftop light wells that maximise natural daylight.

The regeneration will be undertaken over eight years of which the project has delivered 4 phases and is now on the final phase 5.

Durkan’s Resident Liaison Team has worked closely with Southern Housing Group to assist residents who have been temporarily moved as works are carried out in their homes and help create a smooth transition into their new homes.

All of the homes delivered through Phases 1-4 are for social rent. Homes in Phase 5 will be for private sale to help fund Lisgar Terrace’s regeneration.

“My mother moved here in 1928 and I was born in one of the flats upstairs in 1934. I have lived in Lisgar all my life, it is all I have ever known and it has made me very happy. I think the renovation is wonderful and I am very excited to move into my new home.”

Resident

New family-sized homes (two, three and four bedrooms) have been created through remodelling and extending into new link buildings that have been constructed between each of the blocks.

The link buildings have been designed and constructed to complement the 1920s architecture whilst providing a visual break to the elevation.

Roof top extensions in each of the phases, single storey slate mansard roof extensions have been added over the existing roof of each mansion block to create additional properties. Each extension is constructed as an independent steel frame, infilled with timber and supported on concrete plinths over load bearing walls below the existing roof level.

Environmental improvements

Pedestrian and vehicle movements have been enhanced throughout the scheme. New pedestrian routes to improve access have been formed through arches in the link buildings, whilst the introduction of a one way system for vehicles has created a safe route around Lisgar Terrace, with a new exit route formed through a prominent two storey archway in one of the new link buildings.

Additional landscaping works have created green pocket spaces and courtyards for communal use. Waste and recycling stores have been constructed alongside parking spaces and bike stores for residents.

Durkan formed a close partnership with Southern Housing Group’s Community Investment Team to achieve a range of long-term community benefits for all residents. Activities included training five apprentices, resulting in full time work for all of them with one apprentice returning to Lisgar Terrace – Phase 4 as the Trainee Site Manager, and training one of Southern Housing Group’s resident as a Resident Liaison Officer. Durkan engaged with a local primary school to deliver construction themed workshops for Science Week. Local initiatives such as an away day for children living at Lisgar Terrace was sponsored, with Christmas hampers for isolated residents and investment in the Marcus Garvey community garden, and an anti-knife crime project for young people was funded.

“Durkan was really good at supporting what we were trying to do, making it clear to stakeholders that we had a genuine interest in this and they – as contractor – had a genuine interest in making this work.”

Anabel Palmer, Community Investment and Care Director, Southern Housing Group