New housing development for the former Rowan High School, Rowan Road, Mitcham

The former Rowan High School site was redeveloped as part of a joint project with the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Crest Nicholson Homes and Merton Council.

Designs for the site were first conceived as part of the government's Design for Manufacture initiative. The Council have worked closely with the HCA in developing a master plan for the site Crest Nicholson was the preferred developer for the scheme.

Planning permission was approved in 2007 and despite the economic downturn, the Council and HCA have worked with Crest Nicholson to enable the development to commence early 2011.The development is now complete.

In 2012 Rowan Park won the prestigious National Housing Design Awards (project winner category).

The development include

  • 2.6 Ha Landscaped Public Park (with new pedestrian and cycle access from Hoylake Gardens and Kingsmead Avenue)
  • New Scout Hall and Community Facility (390 m2)
  • New Medical Centre and Pharmacy (1985m2)
  • Restoration of the locally listed school building (converted into 27 flats)
  • 217 residential units consisting of 131 family homes and 86 flats (including 27 flats in the converted school building)
    (Building heights range from 2 storey, rising to 4 storeys at the centre of the site)
  • 30% of the housing will be affordable (for rent and key worker / shared ownership)
  • 10% of the housing will be available under Crest's first time buyer initiative (in addition to the 30% affordable units)
  • 278 car parking spaces
  • 171 cycle parking spaces

Sustainable Development

Sustainable design is a central concept throughout the entire scheme.

Drainage and Ecology

The landscape features of the new Rowan Park, whilst providing new open space for Mitcham also plays a role in the management of water on the site. A sustainable drainage system of swales, reed beds and balancing ponds provide flood storage capacity during wet periods, and provide amenity space and ecological habitats when dry.  This system not only benefits the development site but alleviates flood risk from neighbouring areas.

Renewable Energy

The Scout Hall / Community Facility and the Medical Centre will all have photovoltaic panels on the roof to provide electricity to the buildings. There will also be an educational resource to highlight the value of local power generation.

Design

Being part of the Design for Manufacture competition, Crest Nicholson were challenged to construct homes within a £60,000 budget. This is simply the construction cost and not the total development cost or final sale price. The homes are energy efficient and are designed using modern construction methods to improve construction efficiency, quality and design. The cost efficiency of the construction phase provides benefits to other parts of the development such as the renewable energy infrastructure, landscaping, provision of community facilities and affordability of the homes.

The development is designed in a contemporary style to add new and interesting architectural forms and contribute to the character to this part of Mitcham, which is dominated by typically inter-war suburban development.

Downloads

Images

Planning application

The planning application reference number is 07/P1216.

Full details of the planning permission can be found on the council's Planning Explorer.

Housing eligibility

Follow this link 'getting a home' http://www.merton.gov.uk/housing/getting_a_home.htm

Information can be accessed from the link above about registration and Choice Based lettings .

Links

Contact us

Future Merton
12th Floor Merton Civic Centre
London Road
Morden SM4 5DX

Telephone: 020 8545 3837 or 020 8545 4141
Email: future.merton@merton.gov.uk