Friary Park

: Acton, West London

Friary Park is a £522m regeneration project on the site of a former social housing estate in Acton, west London. Having envisioned 990 homes in their original masterplan, Peabody and Mount Anvil twice resubmitted their proposals to maximise housing and amenity provision for the area. The new development includes 483 affordable homes (335 social rent or London affordable rent, 148 shared ownership), with the third phase alone constituting 32% of the council’s annual housing target. Former residents were given the right of return, with 51 moving into the completed first phase. The JV then front-loaded social housing into phase one so that these residents could move in first.

In developing the third application, the JV held four consultation workshops and an exhibition to gauge resident pinion. The team reassessed building sizes, reconfigured rooftops and reduced vehicle routes to increase amenity provision by a further 1,675 sqm. Consequently, the site will now provide nearly 3,000 sqm more amenity space than the previous estate. This will include a cycle hub, running track, outdoor gym, climbing wall and basketball court. Community engagement and public forums have continued to shape the JV’s plans, with resident steering groups featuring a ‘You Said We Did’ section in which attendees are shown how the project team is addressing their feedback. Engagement with local organisations has been of particular importance, leading to a partnership with the Jamal Edwards Self Belief Trust that is now delivering a ground-breaking community hub at the heart of the site.