Alexandra Drive is located in the South London Borough of Lambeth, falling within London travel zone 3. The area is predominantly residential with a diverse architectural character. The site sits a 5-minute walk to Norwood Park to the north, 15 minutes to Crystal Palace Park to the south, and 8 minutes to Upper Norwood Recreation Ground to the west. This proximity to outdoor space gives residents a varied choice of large outdoor spaces all within reasonable walking distance.

The current building on site is a single detached family dwelling, consisting of 2 bedrooms, one bathroom, one study room and a garage. The total site area is approximately 663.4 sqm and contains an extensive rear garden. This proposal seeks to replace the existing dwelling with 10 high-quality and highly sustainable new homes — 6 x 2-bed, 1 x 3-bed and 3 x 1-bed units. Located less than half a mile from Gipsy Hill station and within short walking distance of both Crystal Palace Park and Norwood Park, the site offers good access to amenities and local schools and is an ideal location to add new family housing.

Taking design cues from the surrounding richly diverse architectural character, the scheme embodies a contemporary vernacular. Through a considered, craftsman-like approach to the detailing and high-quality natural materials, the proposal will reflect the quality and elegance of the broader historic streetscape, producing a scheme that complements and enhances its context. Renewables will be incorporated for energy generation, water collection and grey-water recycling. High insulation, air-tight construction and high-performance glazing will ensure a fabric-first approach to energy conservation. The design also incorporates numerous biodiversity strategies such as built-in bird and bat boxes, green roofs with native meadow-like planting and PV panels.