Case Studies
Technology House, 48-54 Goldsworth Road, Woking
Vitruvius Heritage are providing design, heritage and townscape advice and support to Abri in an appeal for a 25 storey residential tower in the centre of Woking. The proposal will provide 224 residential units, indoor and outdoor communal amenity space for residents and four retail units on the ground floor. It also incorporates enhancements to the public realm at street level with high quality hard and soft landscaping. The scheme will provide 100% affordable housing.
The proposal replaces an inefficient and ubiquitously designed 20th century office building with an exciting and dynamic form of architecture, which will make a positive visual contribution to the townscape and public realm of Woking, as well as helping to deliver much needed affordable housing.
Abri Group Ltd appealed the Council’s decision to refuse planning permission, largely on design and height grounds, following presentations by the social housing provider of four different proposals to a Design Review Panel. The proposals will now be considered by a Planning Inspector at a public inquiry that is due to start on 17 January 2024.
Jason Clemons will be the Appellant’s expert witness on matters of design and townscape at the inquiry.
View proof of evidence document here.
Historic Royal Palaces, London
Vitruvius Heritage has advised Historic Royal Palaces on various planning and heritage matters, including the now famous annual poppy display at the Tower of London, the restoration of the Banqueting House, Whitehall and proposals for the extension and re-purposing of the Orangery at Kensington Palace.
The Metropolitan Police Curtis Green Building, Embankment, London
Jason advised the Metropolitan Police on the development potential and heritage risks of re-purposing the Curtis Green Building for the new Police Headquarters. He assisted in negotiations with Westminster City Council and Historic England, which led to the appointment of the preferred architectural and development team for the site, and the subsequent relocation of the Metropolitan Police HQ to this new location.
Displays outside the Victoria & Albert Museum, South Kensington
The Victoria and Albert Museum is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts, and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects.
During his work with the museum Jason provided expert heritage advice to the V&A, which also included the erection of the installation by leading Indian contemporary artist, Subodh Gupta outside the museum building as part of the V&A’s themed works for ‘When Soak Becomes Spill’.
15 Clerkenwell Close, Islington
Jason successfully defended an appeal against the serving of an Enforcement Notice requiring the complete demolition of his client, Amin Taha’s, 5 storey building, located within a conservation area and within the setting of a number of listed buildings. The case was considered at a public inquiry at which Jason was an expert witness on heritage matters. The building has subsequently been nominated for the Sterling Prize.
Woking Towers
Jason provided heritage and townscape evidence for an appeal, which helped to convince the Inspector of the acceptability of a proposal by the Watkin Jones Group and McKay Securities for a building of Build-to-Rent flats, ranging from five storeys to 28, which would also include commercial and community space.
The development, a 0.45-hectare site at Crown Place in Chertsey Road, will result in the demolition of the HG Wells Conference Centre, the former Big Apple entertainment centre and bingo hall, music centre, nightclub and hotel. Reasons given for the 2020 refusal were height, scale, massing and design, insufficient affordable housing and harm to the ‘Thames Basin Special Protection Area’.
A Watkin Jones spokesperson said, “We are very pleased the Planning Inspector has agreed with the original officers’ recommendation and we expect to start work next year to create these homes that will offer people who need somewhere to rent in Woking a great place to live.
“Beyond 366 new homes, the scheme will bring a community centre, new space for businesses, and improve the link from Chertsey Road to other parts of the town.”
