Questions & Answers
Who is bringing forward the proposals?
Airspace Group is working in partnership with the freeholder of Darwin Court to prepare a planning application for the development. We are also working closely with the DCRLA (Darwin Court Residents’ Leaseholder Association), to ensure the proposals deliver the appropriate benefits to the building. It is our objective that this development is a win:win for all stakeholders.
What benefits will the project deliver for the building?
The development will deliver a whole raft of direct and indirect benefits, including upgrades to the common parts, new lifts, level access to building entrances, new better insulated and waterproofed roofs and other benefits. The new apartments will contribute to the service charge on a pro-rata basis, helping reduce the overall service charge costs per flat.
Will there be an impact on property values?
This is a subjective point and one we would encourage residents to do their own research on, but our experience on previous projects has been that the investment in the common parts, lifts and landscaping that the development has facilitated has the potential to increase property values by around 5%.
Will a surveyor be appointed to act in the interests of leaseholders once planning consent is granted and an on-site start date known?
Yes, a surveyor will be appointed by DCRLA to act on behalf of leaseholders. The cost of the surveyor will be borne by the developer. It will be the surveyor’s job to ensure the development is delivered in accordance with the planning consent, health and safety regulations and Development Lease granted by the freeholder.
What will be the impact on our service charges?
The new apartments will contribute to the service charge on a pro-rata basis, helping reduce the overall service charge costs per flat. It is anticipated that each existing leaseholder will benefit from a reduction in service charged of 7.5%. Any reduction in energy costs as a result of the proposal will reduce service charges further.
Will apartments in the building be affected by the development?
There will be no negative impact on the existing apartments. The new apartments will be separated in terms of services and therefore will not impact on the existing services.
Should our plans be approved, we will, of course, continue to work with residents so that they are fully informed of any works that will take place to ensure any disruption is kept to an absolute minimum. We take resident liaison very seriously and would ensure there is an ongoing dialogue with residents
How will services such as water, heating and waste be affected by the proposed new apartments ?
Noise Transfer
The new apartments will sit on a separate structure with a void of 300-500mm between the existing roof and the new apartments, so noise transfer to flats below will not be an issue.
Heating
The new apartments will not connect into the existing communal heating system. The new apartments will be heated by individual energy efficient heat pumps located in noise reducing enclosures at roof level.
Cold Water
The existing cold water tanks on the roof will be removed and each block will be connected to the mains water supply, subject to a capacity survey. This provides the opportunity for increased cold water pressure to all existing apartments.
Hot Water
The new apartments will not connect into the existing communal hot water system. Hot water will be provided by the dedicated heat pumps with an immersion heater back-up.
Drainage
A drainage survey will confirm that there is sufficient capacity to accommodate the extra one or two apartments per block.
Will there be a lot of disruption?
We use a method of construction which incorporates off-site manufacture to minimise all works on site. This means that the new apartments will be built off site in ‘modules’ that are craned onto the building over a short time period. We can normally install a whole apartment in a single day. The preparatory works can be undertaken quietly with minimal disturbance. The only major disruption will be the upgrade works to the lifts.
How long will the development take?
There is a period of detailed design following planning consent but once works start on site we anticipate approximately 3-6 months of quiet and considerately undertaken upgrade and preparatory works whilst the apartments are constructed off-site. When the apartment modules are ready, they will be delivered to site and craned into place, with installation of each apartment likely to take just a single day (likely to be carried out at weekends).
Will we have blanket scaffolding covering our property for 12-24 months?
No, unlike traditional construction, blanket scaffolding is not necessary. Typically, we will only need scaffolding at the parapet level to make it safe to work on the roof and this will be on for far less than 12 months. It won’t cover any windows.
Will the lifts be out of order?
Yes, in order to extend and upgrade the lifts they will need to be out of order for a period of around 4 to 6 weeks. We will also have a team on site who can provide assistance with carrying shopping and buggies if necessary. The good news is that the lift works will mean that there will be no need for costly upgrade works or lift maintenance for some time afterwards, minimising future disruption to lift service. We have set aside a budget to rent temporary accommodation in Darwin Court to house residents that may be significantly inconvenienced by these works.
We are concerned about the risk to the building during the on-site works and after practical completion. We don’t want to incur any costs. How are Leaseholders covered?
Leaseholders will not have to pay for any remedial work to the building resulting from any damage during the construction phase or after the project is finished. We undertake 90% of the project off-site which greatly reduces the risk of any damage.
The existing structure will be rigorously assessed beforehand to ensure the existing building can take the additional load and a survey of condition will be undertaken prior to works commencing on site. Moreover we will have full ‘contractors all risk insurance’ and professional indemnity cover. The entire professional team including the structural engineer and Mechanical & Electrical engineer will also have the requisite collateral warranties and professional indemnity cover. Once the development is finished it will be signed off by a building regulation surveyor and a building warranty policy will commence.
It is our responsibility to rectify any issues within the new apartments after they have been completed.
Can our property take the additional weight of the new structure?
This is a fundamental consideration and one we assess at an early stage. We only undertake projects where the structural integrity has been confirmed by an experienced and suitably qualified structural engineer. A report has been produced by a leading Structural Engineer to assess the building’s capacity for additional loading, taking into consideration the HS2 tunnel, and this confirms that Darwin Court is capable of supporting an extra floor.
What will be the impact on neighbouring buildings?
As part of the planning application, we will submit a technical study which demonstrates that neighbouring buildings do not experience a noticeable loss of sunlight or daylight as a result of the proposals. The new apartments have been designed with a set-back from the existing building line to minimise impact. Moreover, the design has given due regard to minimising glazing where possible to avoid any unwanted light-spill onto Gloucester Avenue.
Will the heritage value of the building be harmed?
We are taking every care to ensure that the proposals enhance rather than harm the character of Darwin Court. We are working with Tony Fretton Architects (TFA), one of London’s foremost experts in working with significant 20th Century buildings and a former Stirling Prize nominee. We believe that the design they are developing is sensitive to the existing buildings 1970s heritage and celebrates many of the design details implemented by the original architect Ronald Salmon & Partners. More detail regarding TFA’s design interpretation can be found in the pre-application design and access statement on the website.
Will the new apartments be good quality?
The new apartments are being developed for private sale and will be of the highest quality. Building them in a factory off-site means we have much more control over the build and can achieve a high-quality finish. The apartments will meet all current building control and fire regulations and will receive a third-party warranty from a recognised industry provider. The new apartments will exceed current building regulations in terms of energy efficiency and CO2 emissions, meaning that they will have excellent sustainability credentials and will be operationally net zero carbon.
Where’s the catch: what do I pay?
There is no catch. We take the financial risk and undertake all of the work from conception to completion. There will be no cost implications for residents during or after the works. There will be some minor disturbance during the on-site preparatory works and lift upgrade works, but we aim to minimise that.
Will there be any further opportunities to engage with the proposals and developer before the planning application is submitted?
We have an on-going relationship with residents via the dedicated rooftop development sub-committee that was set up by the Darwin Court Residents’ Leaseholder Association.
We plan to do a final round of engagement at Cecil Sharp House with residents just before submission. This will be on Monday 4th September between 3:30 - 8pm. This event will allow for us to respond to feedback we receive as a result of this exhibition.
Will the lifts be upgraded as part of the project?
Yes. The existing lifts are regularly failing and are approaching the end of their product life. The development will fund and install brand new lift car and extend the lift shaft to the new penthouse level. The new modern equipment will ensure a vastly improved reliability and reduce repair times and costs. This will be the most disruptive part of the whole project for residents. Our expectation is the five new lifts will cost no less than £550,000. We will do everything we possibly can to minimise the time the lifts are partially out of action.
We have water ingress issues with our existing roofs, how will the proposals effect this?
The proposals will see the existing roof covering replaced and recovered with a brand new waterproof membrane before the new penthouse units arrive and assume the role of the new roof. The new penthouses will have modern drainage and ensure there will be no further water ingress issues for the existing flats.
How will the proposals impact Darwin Courts carbon footprint ?
The new penthouse units and associated works to Darwin Court will ensure the buildings long term carbon footprint is reduced significantly. This will predominantly be achieved by the new better insulated roof covering, helping minimise heat loss. The proposed green roofs will consume CO2 and emit oxygen. The photo voltaic tiles will generate electricity throughout the year but especially in the summer months. This energy will be sold back to the grid and help reduce the cost of lighting the common parts on every floor.
Will level access lifts to the building entrances be part of the project ?
Yes. We are aware that the front steps can be an issue for some residents and make access difficult. Therefore, we will be installing new level access lifts to each block. The platform lifts will accommodate wheelchairs and large buggies.
How will the proposed development impact the annual rent obligations placed on leaseholders by the land to the rear of Darwin Court?
The land to the rear of Darwin Court is not owned by the freeholder or developer, but is owned instead by a completely unrelated third party company. The development will have no impact on the obligations leaseholders have to paying this annual rent.
How much will the long term building improvements save leaseholders if they paid for these works themselves out of the sinking fund?
The total investment by the developer in the wider upgrades to Darwin Court is in excess of £2,400,000 which equates to more than £23,000 per leaseholder.
What will be the impact on fire safety ?
Fire safety is a key concern of the project and the developer will be working with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the design process, along with London Fire Brigade and Building Control to ensure the building is significantly safer than it currently is. The fire safety upgrades the developer will fund will include new dry riders, automatic opening vents (AOVs), cross-corridor doors, lighting, signage and sprinklers in the new apartments.
How will our bin stores be affected ?
It is proposed that the existing bin stores will be re-housed in a dedicated enclosure at the bottom of the vehicular ramp. The existing parking spaces here will be relocated.
Some residents are concerned with security, how will this be improved?
Video intercom system will be provided.
A secure enclosed staircase joining the car park and rear access to the building will be created so residents can move to and from the car park without leaving the walls of the building.
Will the new development prevent 5G masts being installed?
We believe it will. The planning application for new residential apartments will take precedent over any application for the 5G masts. In addition, the incorporation of solar panels and green roofs on the new apartments will make it much more unlikely that future telecoms mast applications will come forward.