{"id":21581,"date":"2016-12-04T07:49:41","date_gmt":"2016-12-04T07:49:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singleaspect.org.uk\/?p=21581"},"modified":"2025-11-30T20:00:27","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T20:00:27","slug":"leeds-towerblock-4-into-2-wont-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/?p=21581","title":{"rendered":"Urban Splash – Saxton : 4 into 2 won’t go"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATE<\/strong> Read the report on overheated flats from 2017<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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“…the space has been divided to ensure that each apartment is substantial in size.” [boggle] ->\u00a0Award<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"l-59th\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Google Leeds tower blocks The Parade<\/a> – images<\/p>\n

A few years ago Urban Splash bought two derelict council housing blocks which were\u00a0due for demolition, at Richmond Hill\u00a0in Leeds. During the “deep retrofit” (partial demolition) the project stalled and Kickstart funding was required to restart it.<\/p>\n

Urban Splash stripped the blocks back to the concrete skeleton retaining the lift and staircase cores, then doubled the density by refitting the blocks with over 400 single aspect flats\u00a0disregarding the original layout of over 200 dual aspect flats.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Before Urban Splash bought\u00a0The Parade it looked like this.<\/p>\n

\"292559058_fb347bff0e\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Having stripped the buildings back to the concrete frame (a la Park Hill) they then placed an steel exoskeleton around the building, replacing the\u00a0original brick walls with structural insulated panels (SIPS).<\/p>\n

Photographs of the stripped blocks may be found at the SkyScraperCity forum<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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I struggle with the morality never mind the practicality of dividing two Parker Morris dual aspect flats into four single aspect flats but then I am not a property developer.\u00a0The estate runs North\/South in a quasi\u00a0zeilenbau<\/a>\u00a0orientation without the recommended 150′ between blocks.<\/p>\n

It says a lot for 1950s space standards that US were able to split each flat and still provide single aspect flats with a double bedroom each but that’s not a seal of approval. Where are families going to live? Not in these pokey overheated flats that’s for sure.<\/p>\n

Urban Splash are hypocrites. About Park Hill they said this:-<\/p>\n

“We think these apartments are truly amazing. They’re generous in size, unusually they’re dual aspect so you can see what’s going on at the other side of the building and, when there’s a breeze, it can make its way through from one side to the other to freshen you up, or cool you down. Apartment specification: General – All apartments dual aspect (windows front and back) – All apartments duplex (two storeys)”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

and this<\/p>\n

“Ivor Smith and Jack Lynn, Sheffield\u2019s city architects, modelled the building to make sure the apartments got maximum sunlight, that\u2019s why the building curves and wraps itself into the hillside. Not just that, but the clever plan means nearly all apartments are dual aspect. Boris Johnson the legendary mayor has just made it law in London to have dual aspect flats \u2013 not only does it mean you get to see both sides but it\u2019s better for ventilation so the flats aren\u2019t at all stuffy.”<\/p>\n

park_webbrochure_august12.pdf\u00a0[Web]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

and when they pull the brochure you’ll still be able to find it here<\/p>\n

park_webbrochure_august12.pdf<\/a>\u00a0[Local]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

but at Saxton they’re prepared to take advantage of the generous Parker Morris standards of the time to split the plan and take the profit while disadvantaging the residents.<\/p>\n

It’s not true that Boris made it law to have dual aspect flats …<\/p>\n

“The Mayor\u00a0believes dual aspect should be the first\u00a0option that designers explore for all new developments.”<\/p>\n

London Housing Design Guide<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

… which isn’t quite the same thing.<\/p>\n

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That the RIBA have praised this is, to my mind, astonishing, and with no mention of the single aspect flats that result.<\/p>\n

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“The clever approach that the architects have taken to reordering the derelict blocks has led to an increase in the number of homes on the site from 214 to 410, giving new homes for sale without a loss of affordable housing. Apartments are small, but light and cheerful, many with spectacular views.”<\/p>\n

https:\/\/ribayorkshire.blogspot.co.uk\/2012\/07\/riba-awards-2012-what-judges-said_16.html<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Kickstart<\/strong><\/p>\n

The project stalled and had to be rescued with public money.<\/p>\n

“Urban Splash, the developer behind the Saxton scheme, has bid for \u00a319,925,000 to help speed up 300 homes on the project which boasts six-and-a-half acres of outdoor space in the city’s East Bank “complete with allotments, wildflower meadows and an orchard”.<\/p>\n

As revealed in yesterday’s Yorkshire Post, Ministers yesterday pledged \u00a3925m from a Kickstart fund to restart stalled developments.<\/p>\n

Unveiling the details of the scheme, Housing Minister John Healey, MP for Wentworth, warned developers the terms of the deal are “tough” and dismissed any suggestions the money \u2013 nearly half of which is in repayable loans or equity financing \u2013 is a hand-out.”<\/p>\n

skyscrapercity.com<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As to whether or not public money ought to have been put towards a scheme of such dubious merit is something I’ll leave the reader to decide.<\/p>\n

“The HCA was criticised in December after it emerged that more than half the homes in the Kickstart programme failed the government\u2019s own design test. Of 136 developments, more than half achieved less than 10 out of 20 against the Building for Life design criteria.”<\/p>\n

HCA Funding Crisis<\/a><\/p>\n

“But with so few councils building homes in the last 20 years, there are doubts over the quality of the design they will produce. A survey published in April by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment revealed that 83% of affordable housing schemes were judged of average or poor design quality, worse than market housing.”<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2009\/jul\/06\/council-housing-boom-england<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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What’s my point?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Without mandatory national space standards (they’re discretionary at present), and standards on aspect, you can go on subdividing any dwelling to the point where it will only fit a single bed, a toilet, shower and kitchenette.<\/p>\n

But when you subdivide\u00a0a dual aspect flat to make two single aspect flats they are both likely to\u00a0overheat<\/a> for the reasons made clear on my Crap Flats<\/a> page.<\/p>\n

\"saxton\"<\/p>\n

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Before conversion – The Parade<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let’s find out how large the original flats were without visiting Leeds. Google Earth has a ruler and a historic images function.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Parade l\/h block in 2006 (East up)<\/p>\n

External dimensions of the left hand block with two cores = 140′ x 32′<\/p>\n

Width of the two cores (lift and stairs) = 10′ each that’s 20′ in total.<\/p>\n

Four\u00a0flats will be 140′ – 20′ = 120′\u00a0so that’s 30′ per flat along one side.<\/p>\n

Block width is 32′ so flat area \u00a0= 30′ x 32′ = 960sqft<\/p>\n

Urban Splash split these into two 960\/2 = 480sqft each gross area including walls.<\/p>\n

Parker Morris says\u00a0480sqft (44.59sqm) two people but that was 1961 and we’ve all grown taller, fatter and have more possessions than fifty years ago so 480sqft is a minimum and the GIA will be less than that.<\/p>\n

I cannot tell for certain whether or not Urban Splash increased the width (not the length) of the block called The Parade during the course of the deep retrofit. They certainly changed its outline. It used to be three blocks offset in relation to one another see photograph below.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

But my beef with the retrofit, such as it is, is not about the size of the resulting dwellings so much as the layout and aspect. The smallest studio is 382sqft \/ 35.5sqm where the London Housing Design Guide specifies 37sqm as the smallest flat with a shower but this development does not fall under those specifications.<\/p>\n

The studios and the flats are single aspect. I can’t find a dual aspect dwelling on there, unless you buy two adjacent and knock a doorway through the wall. Worse are the duplexes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The only equivalent dwellings I can think of (of which I’m aware) are George Finch’s single aspect maisonettes at Cotton Gardens<\/a> where ventilation benefits from the “stack effect”, i.e. owing to the two storey height warm air within rises drawing in cooler air from the lower floor.<\/p>\n

I will probably never visit these, not inside anyway, so cannot draw a direct comparison. In terms of ventilation, if you are going to build single aspect dwellings (why?) then in terms of ventilation two floors are better than one, clearly.<\/p>\n

In terms of layout, Cotton Gardens<\/a> win hands down. On the lower floor the kitchen is parallel to the living room and large enough to contain a dining table. Daylight illuminates the kitchen and living room simultaneously.<\/p>\n

As you can see in the image above, the “kitchen” if you can call it that, is a strip of units along the back, un-illuminated wall.<\/p>\n

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The Close – unconverted<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"lr2bed\"<\/p>\n

2 bed living room<\/p>\n

\"kit2bed\"<\/p>\n

2 bed kitchen<\/p>\n

\"bed2bed\"<\/p>\n

2 bed parent’s bedroom<\/p>\n

What does Rightmove say for Saxton Gardens Leeds? A 3 bed<\/a> and a 2 bed<\/a>\u00a0reasonable ceiling heights, good light and spacious rooms. Not like the Urban Splash offering which is a disgrace. Nice finishes though.<\/p>\n

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The Close Saxton Gardens, Leeds LS9 – Mouseprice website 6\/12\/16<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asking price \u00a3100,000, 2 bedrooms, Flat,<\/span><\/div>\n

Entrance<\/strong><\/p>\n

The block benefits from security entrance buzzer and the apartment is located on the first floor.<\/p>\n

Hall<\/strong><\/p>\n

17′ 9″ x 7′ 10″<\/i>\u00a0 (5.41m x 2.39m)<\/i>\u00a0All the rooms are located off the L shape hall that also contains a storage cupboard with boiler and water tank.<\/p>\n

Lounge<\/strong><\/p>\n

13′ 0″ x 14′ 0″<\/i>\u00a0 (3.96m x 4.27m)<\/i>\u00a0The Lounge is situated at the far end of the hall. Being west facing it has good natural light until the very end of the day. Wood style flooring creates a modern and hygienic feel.<\/p>\n

Kitchen<\/strong><\/p>\n

10′ 8″ x 9′ 9″<\/i>\u00a0 (3.25m x 2.97m)<\/i>\u00a0The kitchen has a good range of storage units and the provision for gas cooking appliances that many people prefer.
\nThe balcony is accessed from the here.<\/p>\n

Bedroom 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

15′ 3″ x 9′ 4″<\/i>\u00a0 (4.65m x 2.84m)<\/i>\u00a0The size factor really comes into play with the bedrooms. This one contains built in wardrobes and at over 15feet long is exceptionally large for this type of development.
\nThe room is carpeted.<\/p>\n

Bedroom 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

13′ 3″ x 10′ 1″<\/i>\u00a0 (4.04m x 3.07m)<\/i>\u00a0The second bedroom is also an excellent sized double bedroom again with a built in wardrobe. The floor is carpeted.<\/p>\n

Bathroom\/WC<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let’s say 8′ 2″ x 8′ 2″ Contains a white 3 piece suite with shower over the bath.<\/p>\n

Balcony<\/strong><\/p>\n

16′ 6″ x 5′ 0″<\/i>\u00a0 (5.03m x 1.52m)<\/i>\u00a0The balcony is a suntrap and 5′ wide can easily be used for
\noutdoor dining. There are open views from the balcony including those of the locally named ‘Kremlin’ building<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.mouseprice.com\/property-for-sale\/ref-7008596\/for-sale<\/a><\/p>\n

The above link will die in time but the information\u00a0I’ve copied from the page will persist.<\/p>\n

Let’s total up the room sizes on a spreadsheet. 850sqft if I assume the bathroom is 8′ 2″ square which wasn’t mentioned in the details.<\/p>\n

Now in sqm to keep the “metrics” happy. 79sqm assuming 2.5m x 2.5m for the bathroom.<\/p>\n

Google says 79sqm = 850sqft which given how rough this calculation has been sounds fine.<\/p>\n

Parker Morris 1961<\/a> would have been happy with five people in there. Two parents in the main bedroom and three children in the other room. Depending on the age and gender of the children these days the family would be looking for a three bed but that’s just family life in action.<\/p>\n

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The good news\u00a0is that West of\u00a0the Parade and the Drive on the same estate are five unconverted blocks of well appointed Parker Morris standard dual aspect flats.<\/p>\n

If you want to live in that part of Leeds, thanks to right to buy<\/a>\u00a0you can buy a dual aspect flat.<\/p>\n

Always assuming you care about the difference.<\/p>\n

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Postscript:<\/strong> I found this today\u00a0https:\/\/www.northerndesignawards.com\/entry\/2012\/saxton-leeds\u00a0which contains a sentence that challenges even my O level knowledge of English in grammatical accuracy.<\/p>\n

“The once dilapidated buildings now house a mix of one and two bedrooms and the space has been divided to ensure that each apartment is substantial in size.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What they fail to say is that before division they were substantial dual aspect flats. Welcome to the world of marketing.<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n

Tracey Ullman’s show Series 2 Episode 4<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UPDATE Read the report on overheated flats from 2017 “…the space has been divided to ensure that each apartment is substantial in size.” [boggle] ->\u00a0Award Google Leeds tower blocks The Parade – images A few years ago Urban Splash bought two derelict council housing blocks which were\u00a0due for demolition, at Richmond Hill\u00a0in Leeds. During the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-housing-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21581"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21581\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30375,"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21581\/revisions\/30375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/singleaspect.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}