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case-study
brookhouse
london
new life
TM
brick
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After the London riots of 2011 the local council drew up a plan to transform Tottenham. Key site Brook House was one of the first milestones in the 15-year programme… The regeneration package known as ‘A Plan for Tottenham’ is ambitious. When it was unveiled five years ago, it had already secured £1 billion worth of funding to improve housing and public spaces, attract enterprise and investment, and build better transport links. One of the flagship developments is Brook House - a four-block mixed use development providing 222 affordable homes and a new junior school on the site of a derelict rubber factory. The clients were local housing association Newlon with financial backing from Tottenham Hotspur FC, whose nearby stadium is also being redeveloped as part of the Plan.
‘‘The brick had to be a light colour that would brighten up the area...’’ info@taylor.maxwell.co.uk
/research & guide With the largest of the blocks at Brook House rising 21-storeys in an area of low- and mid-rise buildings, the site is a very visible representation of the transformation of the area. The point of all the works taking place is to breathe new life into Tottenham, making it a sought-after place to live and work, and as a result the planners had very specific ideas on how the new buildings should look. Brad Coker, Project Manager for lead contractors Galliford Try, explained: “The planners had firm ideas for the finish. The brick had to be a light colour that would brighten up the area, so the products were chosen around that specification. They also had to be cost-effective and provide the lifespan that we required.” Three of the blocks at Brook House are finished in brick. Planning officers had initially approved one
facing brick but because the build was scheduled to start towards the end of 2013 when there was a brick shortage in the UK, there were supply problems. At this point Galliford Try contacted Taylor Maxwell to ask if they could help out. Taylor Maxwell Divisional Director Kevin Clark continues: “Galliford Try asked if I could get hold of a similar brick. The project but was due to start shortly so there wasn’t much time to source the product. There were nearly half a million bricks on the project so it was quite a big task. Having had a look at the originally selected facing brick I offered an identical Solus Facing Brick product (made only for Taylor Maxwell). Galliford Try in turn offered it to their client and the planners who were delighted with it as it had the same appearance as the original brick they wanted.”
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“It’s had a massive impact on the surrounding area. In an area of medium-sized development, it has made a big difference.”
From that point on the supply of bricks went smoothly. “The delivery was excellent. In a period where people were running out of bricks we didn’t have any issues at all.” reported Brad Coker.
Kevin Clark agrees: “I visited the site before the project started: if you could have seen what was there prior to Galliford Try building Brook House you would appreciate what a difference it has made.
“The customer service that we received from Kevin, who looked after our account and was our main point of contact, was very helpful all the way through.”
The old rubber factory right on Tottenham High Road was a very dark and dreary site, but the new buildings have changed the environment of the area and really brightened it up. Now it’s nice and light, a proper piece of regeneration.”
Kevin Clark himself added: “There was a very strict delivery schedule which started in December 2013 through to October 2014 - and we never missed a delivery date.” The project was completed on schedule and to the great satisfaction of clients and planners. Spurs football stars Ledley King and Ryan Mason were special guests at ceremonies to open the new housing blocks and school respectively. Forterra, the manufacturer of the Solus Facing Bricks that were so
crucial to the project completing on time, were so impressed with Brook House that it is considering it as their entry for the Brick Development Association’s Brick Awards 2016. Brad Coker believes that the development is an important early step in the process of revitalising Tottenham.
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