St Matthews Court delivers 18 new affordable homes as part of a comprehensive redevelopment of an existing 1950’s local authority housing block in Newham. Delivered as a combination of 8 new ‘airspace’ rooftop homes, a new apartment extension providing 10 new homes, along with retrofit improvements to 12 poorly performing existing homes and landscape.

The concept of airspace development has been promoted by both the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG, now DLUHC) as an innovative way to assist the supply of new homes across London. Upward extensions (airspace development) are mentioned specifically in the London Plan Housing SPG and in July 2018 was included in the National Planning Policy Framework (paragraph 120).

The airspace model embraces the use of modular or offsite construction, resulting in homes being delivered more quickly to a high construction and environmental standard and with minimum disruption to residents.

Existing view

Proposed view