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Most of
our work in this category has been for Housing Associations with some for
private developers. |
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Trafalgar Street /
Pitt Street, Leith:
This is a dense
5-storey flatted development on a prominent corner
site in a mixed but mainly residential area of 18th
century tenements. The 34 flats; one or two bedrooms
were commissioned by a local Housing Association
and all are for rent. Two of the ground floor flats have
been specifically designed for wheelchair users. The
project, costing £1.75 million to construct, was
completed in 2003. It has been well received by both
the Association and tenants. |
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Albert Street, Leith:
This is a
6-storey development comprising
twenty one 1 and 2-bedroom flats for a gap-site in an established
residential area mainly of late 18th century tenements.
The flats, for
another local Housing Association, have been designed to amenity
standards for older people with specific attention to the needs of
the Asian community. The development features a lift serving all 6
floors, a small sunroom and a south facing landscaped communal
garden to the rear. Two of the ground floor flats were specifically
designed for wheelchair users. Completed 2004. |
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Buchanan Street,
Leith: This
project of 14 flats
was due to be built in tandem with the Albert
Street block under the same contract. Unexpected
problems with the adjacent tenement came to light
however resulting in postponement of the work.
Although similar in style to the Albert Street
development the Buchanan Street block will cater
for the general needs tenants. The ground floor
flats were designed specifically for wheelchair
users with separate gardens to the rear. |
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Beech Crescent,
Dunipace, Stirlingshire:
Completed in
2002, this development of 11 detached and semi-detached
single storey houses for a small West Lothian Developer
was a low cost development aimed at the first time buyer.
For economy all plans were identical and the roof was
constructed using attic trusses to permit expansion of floor
space for growing families. The main store was sized so that
in future it could be stripped out and a standard ‘winding-
tread’ stair installed. A few purchasers requested that this
was provided at the outset with two wanting en-suite
shower rooms in addition. |
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Student Residences,
Roxburgh Place. Edinburgh.
Situated in
Edinburgh’s South Side this 1500 sq. metre 5-storey office building
was due to be up-graded and
re-let as an office but the feedback from the letting
market was not good in spite of its proximity to the new
Scottish Parliament. Conversion to flats proved to be
unviable but preliminary discussions between McLaren
Associates and Edinburgh University proved positive, paving the way
for developing proposals to convert
into much needed student residences. Our client will |
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retain the
building but lease it to the University under a
15-year agreement. |
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The
building of large pre-cast concrete panel construction was planned on a 5
foot
(approx 1.5 metre) grid, which suited the sub-division into study bedrooms
beautifully.
All bedrooms are either two 5’0” modules wide by three deep or vice versa.
Each floor
has 12 bedrooms (except the ground floor, which has11), a twin kitchen,
four shower
rooms and a small lounge. On alternative floors one of the shower rooms is
fully
wheelchair accessible as is the entire building. To make it so, the
existing lift will be
removed including part of the shaft and a new wheelchair accessible one
installed. |
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The
project is due for completion during the summer of 2005 to suit the new
2005/2006
student intake. |
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West End Townhouses, Edinburgh:
Two town houses which were used as offices in
Manor Place and Drumsheugh Gardens, were converted back to residential use
in the
form of luxury flats for sale. Completed in 1998 and 2000 respectively. |
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Kilmaurs, Ayrshire:
This is a development of twenty two dwellings on a ‘brown-field’
site in the ‘backlands’ of Kilmaurs for a Housing Association that
specialises in
integrating wheelchair housing with mainstream housing. The mix comprises
four
family houses, thirteen 2 and 3-bedroom flats, and seven 2-bedroom
wheelchair
houses. The existing brick buildings were demolished and the material
retained and
crushed on site to provide hardcore, mainly for the construction of a new
road to serve
the development. This project was designed by Alistair McLaren whilst a
partner in a
previous firm but developed and managed on site after setting up McLaren
Associates.
The link with his previous firm was maintained for up to three years which
was of
benefit to our mutual client. Completed in 2000. |
