Options were chosen and a Planning Application submitted in December 2017. This was granted in March 2018, to maintain a construction phase programme to complete the works in October 2018.

The property is a three storey Victorian style end of terrace house situated on Queensdown road, adjacent to Hackney Downs Park. The property was, until March 2016, used to house and assist people with special needs but from 2017 it was vacant. The property is a registered care home (Use Class C2) which had been in use as supported housing. There were seven former residents’ bedsits with a series of communal recreation rooms, restrooms & bathrooms together with a small office and communal dining kitchen.

The proposal retained the C2 Class use, converting the existing rooms into 8No. self-contained 1 bed flats. This was possible, by developing an extra storey in the form of a mansard roof extension.

This took into account the modern approach to small care homes whereby there are no resident staff and those living in the house are living as several single households, in an independent way but with support available to them through their care provider should they require it.

Planning Approval required that the site development achieved the standards set out in the London Housing SPG (2016). All proposed spaces were to meet Lifetime Homes Standards where possible. Section 106 and CiL contributions were applicable.