54 The Bishops Avenue

This redevelopment of a one-hectare site on Bishops Avenue will restore a locally listed 1920’s villa to form the centrepiece of a new residential community, providing 36 new homes to the London Borough of Barnet while rejuvenating a neglected site within the Hampstead Garden Suburb Conservation Area. The proposal includes the renovation of the Arts and Crafts villa, and the addition of an extension and two new buildings in keeping with the original, to create a series of high-end homes centred around an extensive communal green. Inspired by the area’s interwar suburban architecture, the new buildings feature pitched roofs and red brick exteriors, along with expressed bays, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Graduated in height, the scheme is designed to rise from two storeys at the street front to five storeys when set-back, minimising the visual impact of the scheme on the prestigious north London avenue. All homes, including ground and lower ground floor duplexes, will offer dual aspect, with many featuring triple or quadruple outlooks. Ground-level terrace gardens and generous balconies are designed to overlook the central grounds, fostering a sense of community and a connection with nature. The scheme will preserve large existing trees, combined with biodiverse new planting ensuring residents’ privacy and passive solar shading. The design seeks to achieve 64.6% reduction in carbon emissions through prioritising high-quality building fabric, low-impact durable materials and heat pumps.