Murray House

The building is located in the heart of busy, historic Westminster, very close to St James' Park, Victoria Station, and numerous other transport links. It is a very constrained site, wedged tightly between other tall and densely packed buildings, ranging from a hotel, to office and high value residential flats. Re-development is therefore a challenge and also expensive.

Over the past two years, we have worked together with the council's Housing and Planning Departments to secure planning permission to redevelop the site. The Housing Corporation has provided us with an allocation, which is being topped up by Westminster Council, to fund the works.

The former residents have been temporarily relocated with the help of Westminster Council. Former commercial tenants have moved on permanently. We have selected a commercial developer, Cube, with whom we have worked closely to design new commercial premises that they will lease.

We appointed Calford Seaden as our Employer's Agents, who have helped us to agree terms with Inspace Partnerships. A demolition contract was let last Autumn and the contract for the main building works was signed yesterday, to enable us to draw down our Housing Corporation funds during February 2008.

The building works should complete by June 2010. The following accommodation will be produced:

Social Rent - General Needs

• 4 x 2-bed units
• 10 x 3-bed units
• 3 x 3-bed wheelchair standard units

Intermediate Rent

• 19 x 1-bed units, designed specifically for returning UWHA residents

Shared Ownership

• 5 x 1-bed units

Commercial Accommodation for Cube

• about 550 sq. m. being constructed as shell and core only, to be fitted out later by Cube, plus dedicated rear external courtyard area.

03/02/09 14:39