The Britannia Project, London Borough of Hackney, for London Borough of Hackney, with Tibbalds, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and FaulknerBrowns Architects

A three-phase development being developed across a 3.2ha site, The Britannia Project is expected to be completed in 2026. Included in the £154m plan is a leisure centre to replace the former Britannia Leisure Centre; a 1,140 student school and hundreds of new homes. 290 of the homes will be for outright sale, 30 for shared ownership, and 51 homes for social rent.

Who is on the project team? (designer, consultants, etc)

Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design - planning consultants

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios - school and residential masterplanners and architects

Faulkner Brown Architects - leisure centre architects

with CDM Advisor: CDRM Services

BuroHappold Engineering: Civil, Structural, MEP, Sustainability and Fire Engineers

Churchman Landscape Architects: Landscape Architect

Max Fordham: Acoustic Consultant

WSP: Waste & Transport Consultant

EIA Coordinator: Trium

Arcadis: Quantity Surveyor

Core 5: Quantity Surveyor

Blue Sky Building: Pre-Construction Advice

Wintech: Facade Engineers 

Describe the context of this project and the point it has reached in its development. Who was there in this place before development, where have they gone, who is there now and who will be there in future? When is the project expected to be complete?

The Britannia Project was granted outline and partial detailed planning permission in 2018 for the development listed in the response above. The project included replacing the original dilapidated Britannia Leisure Centre with a new state-of-the-art leisure centre, funded by LB of Hackney and operated by Better Gyms; a charitable social enterprise. The site previously accommodated the old leisure centre, built in the 1970s and its associated car parking but the site has been redeveloped to utilise the site in a better way by accommodating a new secondary school (City of London Academy, Shoreditch Park), leisure centre and residential use. Phase 1 of the project is complete (completed in Summer 2021) including the new leisure centre, secondary school and new public square. Phase 2 includes the residential element of the scheme including affordable housing and the construction of this commenced in October 2023 and is due to be complete in 2025 (Phase 2b). The Britannia Project is an exciting and unique project that focuses on bringing the local community together by providing key public services for Hackney, investing in education and health and wellbeing for its residents. There were no residents living on the site before the development commenced. As the development evolved it has attracted additional members to the new leisure centre and increased participation in sport. The secondary school has brought a new younger generation of people to the Britannia site, further increasing the diversity of users of the space and encouraging them to use the facilities after school. 

How are you seeking to foster community, welcome visitors and attract tenants? How are you responding to changing demographics, behaviour, market context, policy, transport habits and the climate crisis since winning planning?

Britannia is a project for the people. The new Britannia Leisure Centre is a civic hub for the local community and brings people together from all backgrounds. The new secondary school welcomes 1,100 pupils onto the Britannia site from the local area. The school was designed with the pupils in mind to ensure the design accommodated future needs and is adaptable. The innovative design allowed space for a partially covered multifunctional sports pitch at the top of the building, catering for different games and sports. BRAFA Square, located outside the entrance of the Britannia Leisure Centre is named after a fascinating yet forgotten part of Hackney’s African Caribbean history. The name exposes the story of the British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal (BRAFA) which became Hackney’s answer to Live Aid in 1985. The former reggae artists who lived in the local area were involved with the design of the square and lyrics and music notes of their past songs are discretely located within the landscaping. This demonstrates a valuable contribution from Hackney’s African Caribbean community. The Britannia Project has adapted to changing behaviours and market demands. For example, the residential scheme has been amended to include communal work from home spaces and internal amenity to foster community within each of the residential buildings and provide for a post-pandemic population. Additionally, to adapt to changes in policy and building regulations, a second stair core has been retrofitted into the design of the proposed residential buildings as residential safety is of key importance. 

What is your sustainability strategy and how are you mitigating carbon use and construction pollution?

It has been important for the Britannia project to develop an integrated masterplan where sustainability is at the forefront of design. Good practice principles for sustainability are included such as connecting to the District Heating Network (Colville Energy Centre) which will be run and operated by LB of Hackney, facilitating continual involvement in the low CO2 agenda, whilst alleviating fuel poverty. Air Source Heat Pumps have been provided to future proof the scheme from grid decarbonisation. A temporary energy centre has also been built adjacent to the new leisure centre, whilst the permanent Colville Energy Centre is being built. Colville energy centre is being resized to accommodate the Britannia project demonstrating the ability of local authorities to think more strategically about energy infrastructure. The sustainability strategy aimed to push beyond the normal requirements and focused on 3 areas: 1. Health and happiness: Improved access to sports and leisure facilities, improved the relationship with Shoreditch Park, improved walking and cycling routes through the site and into the park and provided a financial contribution to improved play facilities in the park. 2. Land use and ecology: Urban greening and biodiversity measures such as tree planting, biodiverse roofs, rain gardens, swales, permeable paving and bird and bat boxes. 3. Culture and community: Created a new north-south route connecting the wider residential areas and new school to Shoreditch Park, new community public square, creation of active frontages and providing a new civic hub at the new leisure centre.