Abbey View
Abbey View was an abandoned office building close to the Abbey railway station in the cathedral city of St Albans.
Brooks Murray were appointed to obtain Permitted Development approval to convert the existing 1980s commercial building into 99 flats, and design a scheme to better use the adjacent land. This design received planning permission to create dormers in the existing roof line and build a new, complementary residential building of 25 flats and landscaping in the redundant car park.
Abbey View is an office complex constructed in the 1980s close to Abbey Railway Station and its adjoining conservation area. Given the heritage of St Albans, it is a site of archaeological importance, which at present comprises two commercial buildings and a large adjacent car park to serve the offices inside.
One of the buildings has been unoccupied and abandoned for some years, and the new landowner wanted to make better use of the space, building homes in the underused car park, and its location close to the station, attracting young people who seek a quieter atmosphere but want to remain mobile and connected to the London.
Permitted Development
The Brooks Murray team designed a scheme to bring the existing abandoned building back into use, converting the commercial space into 99 flats and incorporating dormers into the roof line.
New Build
The team subsequently designed a new building, complementing the existing complex through its design and use of materials, which comprises 25 flats on the site of the old underused car park. This incorporates a mixture of flat sizes to accommodate different types of family: 4 x 3-bed, 18 x 2-bed and 3 x 1-bed flats.
