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WF Guardian Report
An important social housing area acting as a buffer between the urban environment and the ecology of Epping Forest. To comply with Mayor Khan's London Plan and retain their planning controls the council has decided to demolish part of the existing estate and build 4 to 9 storey blocks of flats and create 120 flats to replace part of the existing estate. This is not good news for the forest.
The plan is to demolish some of the existing buildings and to construct three buildings ranging from 4 to 9 storeys in height, comprising 120 affordable residential units with associated disabled parking spaces, cycle parking facilities, landscaping and refuse stores.
One good point that has come out of Grenfell is the need now to provide a Fire Strategy with a planning application:
The fire strategy has been designed so that escape distances are within 7.5m when escaping in a single direction. The proposed escape route is via the stair core and out of the main entrance to Hylands road at the front of the proposed building, ad a secondary fire escape direct from the core into the Garden. The protected corridors are vented and form part of the fire strategy of the buildings. As the block exceeds six storeys, the core is designed to provide all requirements to act as a fire fighting shaft in the case of an emergency. We have liaised with consultants BB7 to ensure design development addresses each consideration. to form a robust fire strategy for the block.
In addition the old Hylands School building is to be refurbished and a large extension added so that it can be used as a place of worship with a community hall and a church hall.
