Mill Hill East, London
Client: The Inglis Consortium
Role: Masterplanning, Urban Design, and Town Planning
PRP were appointed by the consortium in March 2008 to develop a masterplan for this suburban site at the heart of the London Borough of Barnet. Part of the site is a former MoD Barracks and the remainder ex MoD housing and a Council Depot site. The eastern and northern edges of the site are adjacent to Metropolitan Green Belt. The site is steeply sloping, particularly in the central area. There is a 30 metre overall fall from north to south and the masterplan has been conceived to orientate buildings generally along the contours.
An Action Area Plan has been adopted as part of the Council's Local Development Framework. This has set the development parameters with regard to mix and maximum permissible quantum of facilities. The scheme comprises 2175 new homes, (25% houses and 75% apartments), 1100 square metres of retail space fronting onto a proposed public square, 3,470 sq metres of office and light industrial space, a new 2 form entry primary school and nursery, a doctors' surgery and a series of public parks. The site contains a large number of existing trees and the majority of the better quality examples are to be retained. A SUDS network is integrated into the masterplan comprising swales and attenuation basins.
The site is divided into 3 character areas within which average target densities range from 40DPH at the Green Belt edges, to 80DPH in the central area of the site and 120DPH at the southern gateway to the site adjacent to Mill Hill East underground station.
A Design Principles document has been prepared as part of the application submission, which will become an approved document to enable the planners to assess future reserved matters applications against it.
An outline planning application is to be submitted to London Borough of Barnet in June 2009.
