St Ann’s police station was built in 1885 and was one of two police stations built within the Tottenham area to address local crime as population increased during this period. Located on a prominent location at the junction of St Ann’s Road and Hermitage Road, the former police station is a local landmark. It adjoins the conservation area which includes St Ann’s Hospital.
The police station has been converted and extended to form eight one and two bedroom flats, which have spacious open plan living/dining/kitchens and benefit from large windows and natural light. Our heritage analysis informed the conversion and refurbishment of the locally listed building, and the design of the new homes. The new buildings respond positively to the neighbouring locally listed police station resulting in a very ‘calm’ proposal.
There is a full range of high quality homes, from 1 bedroom flats to 4 bedroom townhouses. The new townhouses and apartments meet or exceed London Plan standards. All homes are dual or triple aspect, and living/dining/kitchen spaces extend from street to west-facing views across St Ann’s Hospital, bringing ample natural light to the heart of the home. Ground floor wheelchair accessible flats also have their own private front doors.
The separation between the old and new buildings breaks down the overall massing whilst enhancing the visual setting and character of the conservation area. Pulling back the building line at Hermitage Road also makes the new building ‘subservient’ to the old police station, thereby enhancing the setting for the locally listed building. Glimpsed views through the gap to the trees of St Ann’s Hospital and soft landscape to the front boundary improves the existing hard urban streetscape.
The level of articulation in the architectural detailing helps to enhance the local character of the area, whilst also introducing a more modern architectural language. Quality is underpinned through the specification and design of the architectural details. Materials complement the existing red brick police station, and echo the detailing to window head and sills. Deep reveals and vertical recesses that evolve from each storey to the one above, and string courses in the brickwork reflect the neighbouring buildings. At roof level, a set-back rose-zinc cladding completes the top of the new building.
Integration of services has been considered from the outset of the design, with communal heating plant located at ground floor. Meters, vents and other service requirements are carefully located away from the front elevation. Bicycle storage is conveniently located in ground floor storage close to each core or house. Designed to code level 4 and a fabric first approach to sustainability means that the homes will minimise energy use, and have carefully considered use of all resources.
HTA Design were appointed to planning and included architecture, landscape design, sustainability and planning services.
