gcp were excited to be part of Nailsworth Community Land Trust’s first project to deliver affordable homes for local people. Working alongside Aster Housing and EG Carter, 4 houses and 6 flats have been built and will be kept as a community asset. The scheme has been a great success for Nailsworth CLT who hope this will be a good spring board for more projects in the area.
Congratulations Siobhan Tarr - Our newest SAP Assessor!
in Consulting
Congratulations to Siobhan Tarr who recently added On-Construction Domestic Energy Assessor to her list of skills. This makes Siobhan our newest SAP Assessor. Training undertaken with Elmhurst Energy.
Shortlisted for South West Building Excellence Awards 2019
Our affordable homes development in Mark for South Western Housing Society and built by EG Carter has been shortlisted as a finalist in two categories for the South West Building Excellence Awards 2019: Best Small New Housing Development and Best Social or Affordable New Housing Development!
Facility expansion at Avon Valley country park
Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife park are celebrating 30 years of successful business with a substantial new catering offer. Their desire to achieve excellence in all the park's facilities is the key reason gcp are excited to be appointed as architects on this scheme.
The popularity of the family friendly wildlife park has grown dramatically in recent years and to ensure the visitors experience continues to be great, AVA&WP are rethinking and expanding their catering facilities. The catering overhaul includes their first al fresco cafe experience, a grab & go cafe and a seated restaurant. It will substantially improve customer experience and responds to a dramatic rise in customer numbers over recent years.
This is a fantastic opportunity for the park to further develop their facilities in line with their new brand image. Avon Valley has grown to be the 4th most popular tourist attraction in B&NEs and the 10th most popular in the West of England region; not only does it have a strong brand identity for visitors to the region, it is well-loved and cherished in the local area too.
For gcp, this project builds on the success of the B Block bistro at the Chocolate Quarter in Keynsham for St Monica Trust completed in May 2018.
We are pleased to be working with Emily Pearman of Studio EP again, the concept sketches below are hers.
Iconic water tower to get a face lift
The Iconic Durdham Down Water Tower
Durdham Down Tower is known to generations of Bristolians simply as the Water Tower. Built in 1954 for Bristol Water it stands at the highest point for miles around and is due for a major overhaul later this year. gcp has been appointed to design and co-ordinate the refurbishment which comprises extensive concrete repairs externally and lining internally as well as reroofing, improving access and safety for routine maintenance. A substantial amount of telecoms equipment will be relocated to scaffold during the works which will last 16 weeks and complete by November. This is the latest of a number of projects gcp has carried out for Bristol Water over the last twenty-five years.
The Water Tower
Shortlisted for South West Building Excellence Awards 2019
Shortlisted for South West Building Excellence Awards 2019
Our affordable homes development in Mark for South Western Housing Society and built by EG Carter has been shortlisted as a finalist in two categories for the South West Building Excellence Awards 2019: Best Small New Housing Development and Best Social or Affordable New Housing Development!
25.03.19
Mark Affordable Housing wins Somerset LABC Award
Recently completed affordable rural housing designed by gcp Chartered Architects has won the ‘Best Affordable Housing’ category in the Somerset Local Authority Building Control Awards. The project, designed for South Western Housing Society and built by EG Carter Construction, provides 12 new homes for local families. gcp designed the homes to be comfortable and cheap to run, incorporating high levels of insulation with heating and hot water provided by ground-sourced heat pumps. Residents will enjoy low energy costs from a simple technology that is easy to operate and maintain.
Winner – Best Affordable Housing
Planning permission for new homes in Sutton Benger
Working with Stonewater, gcp have received planning permission for the construction of ten new affordable houses in Wiltshire. The new houses will form an extension to an existing Stonewater development of seven houses on the edge of the village of Sutton Benger.
New houses in Sutton Benger
2018 Recap & Merry Christmas !
Henacre Road, Bristol
During 2018, gcp has been continuing to work with Courtenay Investments on the strip back to shell refurbishment and extension of their 1950’s office block in Holborn, Central London. Enabling works are now complete and construction work proper will commence in Q1 2019.
Elizabeth House, Holborn
Four schemes have been progressing in Lawrence Weston in North West Bristol with ongoing design work for Ambition Lawrence Weston, Pioneer Medical Group and Bristol City Council to try and bring the vision of a community hub building to fruition. We are also working with social landlord Curo at Henacre Road and Corbett Close. The 128 home scheme at Henacre Road will be on site by Easter next year following a painstaking search for any unexploded ordnance scheduled for the New Year. The fourth scheme is for Bristol City Council to the rear of the Ridingleaze shops where we will have designed nine houses for social rent.
Henacre Road, Bristol
We have also been working on an inner-city housing scheme for Acorn Property Group at Brooks Dye Works in St. Werburghs, Bristol (106 units) and large rural schemes for Lindon Homes near Long Ashton (103 units for phase 1) and Stonewater at Northwick Farm near Worcester (62 units).
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been working with us on the development of their Urban Cricket Centre Concept, designed to bring playing opportunities to some of the most deprived post codes across East London, Birmingham and Bradford. The opening of the first site in East London is scheduled to coincide with the Cricket World Cup 2019.
ECB Urban Cricket Centre Concept
Halsall Construction continue to be a great supporter with design for projects completed at Silver Street in Willand and Station Road in Castle Carey. In Swindon we have been working with the football club’s community trust to bring about the construction of a new pavilion building to support their new artificial turf pitch at the County Ground site. In Malvern we have just secured planning consent for fourteen homes for c-t-s Construction and Broadway Heritage Ltd on the edge of a local conservation area in the grounds of a former convent.
Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust, Community Club Hub
It only remains for me on behalf of the Directors to express our warmest thanks to the staff, clients and fellow consultants who have made 2018 the most successful in our now 31 year history!
Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year to you all.
Jeremy Pilling
Managing Director
gcp chartered Architects
Arts studios in St Ives
View from public footpath towards Burthallan Farm (central to left of white gable end)
Burthallan Farm is a conversion of semi-derelict agricultural buildings to create a range of artists studios and managers residential accommodation on a prominent site on the edge of St Ives.
The site, unoccupied since 1927, occupies a prominent location within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); it is within the Green Belt and includes land down to the South West Coastal Path and beyond to the sea.
Working within the tight constraints of the St Ives Neighbourhood Development Plan 2015 – 2030 and the Cornwall Design Guide, the project seeks to build within the original envelope of the farm building formed of cob and granite, enhance the artist studio offer available in the area and provide a further boost to local tourism. The studios will include tuition space for painting and life drawings, private studios and space for sculpture.
A planning application is due to be submitted before the end of 2018 and if successful, it is anticipated the artists studios will be 40% funded by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) Rural Tourism Infrastructure Growth Programme.
This is the third project undertaken for this client over a rewarding and successful ten-year period.
David Murray John Building, the Number One Wonder of Swindon
David Murray John tower block above the Brunel Centre
A feasibility study to explore potential redevelopment options for the David Murray John Building, an iconic 21 storey 1970’s tower block in the centre of Swindon situated above the Brunel Shopping Centre. Known as the Number One Wonder of Swindon, originally designed and built by the local authority, the building has over 3,500 sq metres of office accommodation on floors 2 to 13 and 72 flats from floors 14 to 21 flats. The office accommodation has been vacant for several years, the cladding has come to the end of its economic life and the services installations needs a major overhaul.
The study investigates a range of interventions including complete recladding and a wide range of alternative uses. The report sits with the council awaiting further instruction.
Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust ‘Community Club Hub’
Community Club Hub for Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust
gcp Chartered Architects has been appointed by Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust to work with Beard Construction to develop a detailed design for the Football Foundation funded ‘Community Club Hub’ at the County Ground in Swindon.
The design team of Kilminster Beer, SDS Consulting and Method Consulting is well on the way to achieving a start on site in January next year. Swindon Borough Council will very shortly be completing the necessary pre-commencement highway improvement works.
The two- storey building amounting to 750m2 will accommodate four changing rooms to support the existing athletics track and a proposed floodlit all weather pitch as well as a café, clubroom, office space for the Trust and ancillary accommodation.
Spencer and Norton get new lease of life
gcp are working for specialist contractor Rateavon on this is an external restoration project for two early 1960’s Bristol City Council tower blocks in sight of St Mary Redcliffe. This scheme includes window replacement, new roofing and complete redecoration.
Working within the constraints of two adjacent conservation areas, colour options to change the identity of the blocks away from established colour palette normally associated with affordable housing in the city have been carefully considered and discussed with the council’s conservation and planning officers before offering then to residents for comment.
Spencer and Norton are the 6th set of tower blocks we have worked on in the city since 2015 and over that time we have developed a detailed understanding of the issues associated with refurbishing these iconic buildings.
A planning application will be made before end of 2018 and works started October 2018 and are scheduled for completion by November 2019.
Spencer House from Bedminster Bridge roundabout
Avonmouth Community Centre Asset Transfer
Avonmouth Community Centre proposed ground floor plan
Housed in a former Victorian primary school, Avonmouth Community Centre is a well used and much-loved community facility on the edge of Avonmouth Docks.
In line with council policy the management team were invited to bid to transfer the ownership via community asset transfer. With financial support from the Port Communities Resilience Fund the community association appointed gcp Chartered Architects to prepare a feasibility study to investigate the potential to increase revenue streams and secure existing tenancies for this popular community centre.
gcp devised a phased development plan that allowed for the progressive refurbishment as capital grants became available. Detailed design work are due to commence in the New Year.
Handover at Mark, Somerset
Our latest rural housing scheme was handed over this week at Mark, Somerset.
The 10 new homes for South Western Housing Society are located on the edge of the village and form a lovely courtyard development providing a range of homes that include bungalows, houses and apartments, to cater for a range of housing needs.
The development is already fully let to people from the local area - excited to be moving in to these light and spacious homes. The development has been constructed by EG Carter Construction with a really excellent standard of finish. The homes have heating and hot water provided by Ground-Source Heat Pumps; which will keep energy costs to a minimum.
This development provides an excellent benchmark for affordable rural housing.
Recruitment: Architectural Technologist
gcp Chartered Architects is looking to recruit an architectural technologist with at least three year’s experience producing construction information on multiple unit housing projects accurately and to demanding deadlines. Experience of AutoCad and Revit would be a distinct advantage. If you are interested in this post with salary commensurate with qualifications and experience then please contact me at jeremy.pilling@gcparch.co.uk in the first instance. No agencies please.
Welcome Olia Kyritsi!
gcp is pleased to welcome Olia Kyritsi to the team!
Olia is a Chartered Architect, with 5 years working experience on residential, retirement living and commercial schemes, work spaces and leisure centres.
She holds a MArch from the National Technical University of Athens and an MSC on Environmental Design of Buildings from the Welsh School of Architecture.
Both she and Matt Bonney join at the start of a busy - and exciting - summer period for gcp.
Welcome Matt Bonney!
gcp is pleased to welcome Matt Bonney to the team!
Matt is a recently qualified architect who previously worked for 360 Architecture in Glasgow. He graduated from Strathclyde University in 2016, where his studies focused on developing sustainable buildings with inter-seasonal energy storage.