368 residential units, nursery, community hall, gym, minimarket and café The site is located between two distinct areas of Canada Water. Immediately to the west are industrial units and a leisure park. In contrast, to the east is Russia Dock Woodland with a large number of predominantly brick-built, 2-3 storey houses immediately beyond the woods. These have a very suburban character. Slightly further away from the site along the riverfront, mid-rise new build apartment blocks dominate. The site of the Quebec Way Industrial Estate can arguably be said to occupy a unique location being not just physically at a cross roads but also forming a transitional site, where urban and suburban meet. The development consists of blocks grouped together around private courtyards which are entered off a single point from Quebec Way. Changes in levels and a narrowing of the access mark the start of the private courtyards. It is proposed that the route through is marked with a sequence of entrances to create vistas and mark the changing nature of the space. The aspiration of the proposal is to make sustainability a priority. The scheme will meet Code for Sustainable Home level 4 but will aspire in its delivery to better this standard. Therefore choice of construction, external-facing materials and levels of daylighting will be critical to the success of the scheme in achieving its zero carbon target. The scheme aims: To create a development that compliments and enhances the existing Russia Dock Woodlands; To create a design that integrates into the existing context; To create a transition zone between the woodland and the urban context; To replace the existing hard-landscaped areas dominating the site with soft-landscaped courtyard spaces; To introduce an active street front to Quebec Way and Redriff Road through an introduction of commercial uses and homes direct access from the street; Introduce much needed community facilities for the area as well as the proposed development; The blocks have been arranged to ensure that there is a minimum of 21m separation to prevent overlooking. Where necessary screening has been introduced to maintain privacy. Opaque windows have also been used but always with windows that afford views and aspect out. Private and communal amenity spaces have been provided throughout the proposal. Additionally separate secure children’s play areas have been incorporated into design. The development provides 10% wheelchair units designed to Greenwich Wheelchair standards; The development creates a mixed community by providing housing units of different sizes of which 30% are family units; The proposals meet Lifetime Home Standards and London Housing Design Guide; The development will be Secure by Design compliant and achieves Building for Life Standards; The scheme is arranged so that the lowest part is located near to the existing residential and Russia Dock Woods. The building heights then rise along its frontage on Quebec Way reaching a maximum height of 6 storeys. The increase in block heights has been broken up so that a softer and more varied roof line is produced to Quebec Way. The heights have been deliberately kept low adjacent to the Woodlands at 3 storeys. From the Woods, the blocks then increase to 6 storeys to provide a more civic street frontage along Quebec Way. A simple palette of materials and colour is proposed so that the scheme compliments the setting of the Russia Dock Woods as well as the proposed landscaping of the courtyards. The massing of the scheme is ordered to create a base, middle and top. This is achieved through creating a robust brick base which becomes lighter in material and colour with an increasing window to wall ratio until the top storey of the building, which will be predominantly glazed. It is proposed that the base will be in dark brickwork with raked bed joints to give a strong sense of horizontality. In the middle section of the building, a lighter coloured and less textured material will be used, artificial stone. This middle section will see an irregular, playful rhythm of alternating solid and glass panels. The top of the building will be a light structure set back from the floors below. The artificial stone will provide a high thermal mass and the finish will provide a contrast to the glazing.