Lamorna, Dartmouth Park Road: Residential Infill Redevelopment

Client: HGG London

Architects: Bureau de Change

Description of Development: Demolition of an existing single dwelling and erection of a five-storey residential building comprising five new homes (Use Class C3).

Location: Lamorna, Dartmouth Park Road, London NW5 1SU

Project Overview: Sensitive Residential Intensification in a Conservation Area

The Lamorna project delivers a carefully considered residential infill redevelopment within the Dartmouth Park Conservation Area, replacing a neutral-contributing detached dwelling with a high-quality, design-led apartment building. The scheme optimises the use of a highly sustainable brownfield site, delivering five new homes in an area of acute housing need while responding sensitively to the established character of the surrounding townscape.

Maddox Planning provided comprehensive planning advice throughout the project, leading pre-application discussions with the London Borough of Camden, coordinating specialist technical inputs and preparing the full planning application and supporting documentation. The proposals were shaped through extensive engagement, including Design Review Panel input, to balance heritage considerations with the delivery of much-needed housing.

Key Issues Addressed

Design, Townscape and Heritage: The site lies within the Dartmouth Park Conservation Area, characterised by a varied townscape of Victorian villas, terraces and later infill development. The proposals introduce a contemporary residential building that responds to this context through articulated massing, high-quality materials and a clear vertical rhythm. Upper floors are stepped back to reduce visual impact, while the building’s proportions and fenestration draw on local architectural cues.

Officers concluded that the scheme would result in a very low level of less than substantial harm to the Conservation Area, at the lowest end of the spectrum, which is outweighed by the public benefits of housing delivery. The proposals were found to preserve the setting of nearby listed buildings and to represent an appropriate form of incremental densification in line with national, London Plan and Camden policy.

Housing Delivery and Quality: The development provides five new market homes comprising a mix of one, two and three bedroom units, including a family-sized duplex. All dwellings meet or exceed Nationally Described Space Standards and benefit from private amenity space in the form of balconies, terraces or gardens. The scheme delivers a significant uplift in residential floorspace and contributes positively to Camden’s housing supply at a time when delivery remains substantially below target.

Neighbour Amenity: Detailed daylight and sunlight analysis confirms that the proposals comply with BRE guidelines, with only minimal impacts on neighbouring properties. Privacy and outlook have been carefully managed through building orientation, generous separation distances, articulated façades and the use of angled and obscure glazing where necessary. Officers confirmed that the development would not result in unacceptable impacts on neighbouring occupiers in terms of overlooking, enclosure or noise.

Transport, Sustainability and Environmental Performance: The site benefits from a good level of public transport accessibility and the development is car-free, in accordance with Camden and London Plan policy. Secure cycle parking and refuse storage are provided at ground floor level. The scheme incorporates a robust sustainability strategy, including air source heat pumps, high levels of fabric efficiency and green roofs, delivering carbon reductions beyond policy requirements. A whole-life carbon assessment demonstrates that the redevelopment approach results in substantially lower lifetime emissions compared to the retention or refurbishment of the existing building, while sustainable drainage measures reduce flood risk and support biodiversity.

A Balanced and Deliverable Urban Infill Scheme

The Lamorna project demonstrates Maddox Planning’s expertise in working on sensitive residential development within constrained and highly scrutinised heritage contexts. Through a design-led approach, robust technical evidence and proactive engagement with officers, members and the local community, the scheme delivers high-quality new homes that make efficient use of land, respect local character and contribute to Camden’s strategic housing objectives.

Lamorna: the scheme delivers high-quality new homes that make efficient use of land, respect local character and contribute to Camden’s strategic housing objectives