T2S Architecture have developed plans to develop a property at 5-7 Vining Street in Brixton, London.

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Situated a few yards from Atlantic Road, a thriving commercial centre in this popular London district, 5-7 Vining Street is currently a tired-looking mixed-use unit, housing two adjacent retail units on the ground floor and two residential units on the upper floors. Our client asked us to explore options for creating a further 3 new residential units through extension and refurbishment of the structure.

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5-7 Vining Street is a three-storey Neo-Georgian building, dating back to the 19th Century, and it lies just within the Brixton Conservation Area, which is characterised by mostly 19th and early 20th-century commercial developments including the covered and open markets.

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The site is close to many listed buildings, including the Tate Library, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Markets and the Ritzy Cinema. However, 5-7 Vining Street itself is not listed or referenced in the Brixton Conservation Area statement.

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Brixton, in the borough of Lambeth, is identified in the London Plan as one of the 35 major centres of the capital city. It's primarily a residential area and like many London districts, it experienced major growth during the expansion of the railways and a new Thames crossing at Vauxhall. Today Brixton boasts a PTAL rating of 6B according to Transport for London, making it among the best-connected inner London districts and, as part of the Borough of Lambeth, one of the most densely populated.

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The building occupies the whole footprint of the site, with a recent single-storey extension to the rear. Considering the site's context and surrounding architectural language, we plan to raise the rear extension by three storeys, adding significant volume without intruding on to the street scene or breaking the visible roofline.

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The neighbouring properties on Atlantic Road have also been extended to the rear, creating a congested space with interlocking issues of privacy, daylight availability, and access. Our careful design of the massing of this two-storey extension ensures that the neighbours' light and privacy are not compromised, whilst providing private amenities for the 3 of the 5 planned apartments.

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Our designs will create 5 apartments, comprising three two-bedroom units, one one-bedroom unit, and a studio apartment. The apartments at the rear will all enjoy private amenities, while the two apartments at the front will benefit from extensive views.

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Remodelling the ground floor, our plans provide for a single resident's entrance at the eastern side of the site allowing the retail unit to span the frontage, and a covered entrance with cycle storage.

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When complete, our designs for 5-7 Vining Street will create homes for up to 14 people in this busy and popular shopping district, with excellent public transport access, good facilities for active travel, and plenty of local amenities and facilities all within walking distance.