Plans have been announced for a pop-up housing scheme on the site of a former leisure centre by Lewisham Council.

 

The new Greater London homes will be on the site for up to four years with a view to being moved on later on to a different location or locations.

 

The scheme will have 24-homes and has been designed by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners to be constructed on the old site of the former Ladywell Leisure Centre building.

 

The planning application for the project is due to be submitted for the project this month with a view to completing construction of the project by the end of the year.

 

The council said: “The proposed method of construction means that the development can be built faster and cheaper than if traditional methods were used, and as the finished structure is fully demountable it could be re-used over a number of years and in different locations across the borough.”

 

Sir Steve Bullock, mayor of Lewisham, said: “This scheme may offer a solution to an all too common problem that plagues many development sites, which often sit unused while complex regeneration plans are put together.

 

In addition to the eight pop-up houses, there will be eight ground-floor non-residential units for community and/or business use.


The development of pop-up projects which are re-locatable isn’t a new idea; however it could be a useful tool when viewing the construction industry from the perspective of the skills shortages in construction jobs and the heavy demand for and scarcity of many construction products in the UK. 

 

RSH+P partner Ivan Harbour said: “We believe this offers a blueprint to meet a wide range of urban housing needs.

 

“By delivering well-designed, flexible and sustainable accommodation using a quick and cost-effective volumetric technology, we hope to change the way we think about house building in the future.”

 

He added that the units will exceed current space standard requirements by 10%.

 

 

Ground Floor

 

 

First Floor