A packed meeting at the JMB offices on Monday, 19 May, discussed the latest steps in the plan for new council-rent homes on the Kipling Estate, discussing the potential size and shape of any new development.

Hari Phillips, from architects Bell Phillips, gave a presentation setting out the possibilities of what could be built on the site, given technical and planning restrictions and what residents had told previous meetings. The aim was to go for about 31 homes (which would meet the immediate housing need identified in the area) and a minimum of 24 homes.

Download the Kipling Garages options presentation (Note: VERY large pdf – 21MB)

The people at the meeting had a full and detailed discussion and two options preferred options came out from the discussion.

The majority of people went for a design with two towers, one of 10 storeys, a smaller one of 5 stories, joined together by a lower block of 2 storeys  (model shown above). This would provide about 34 new homes and is called Option 5B in the presentation.

The other popular design had a taller single tower on the corner of Guy Street and Weston street, with a lower 2-storey block stretching along Weston Street. This would have 28 new homes and is Continue reading →