This project for Dunbritton Housing Association, working in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council, comprises five flatted dwellings.

The brownfield site is located in Jamestown, Alexandria and formerly housed a block of cottage flats, which have recently been demolished. An earlier study was undertaken by the Council to investigate the feasibility of converting the four flats into short stay hostel accommodation. However, due to funding difficulties, this option was not developed.

Prior to developing options for five flats, the project proposals comprised an amenity house sandwiched between 2 no. bespoke wheelchair houses with integrated sunspaces with heat recovery. However, as this option did not achieve economies of scale, this option was set aside in favour of options where the density is increased.

The proposed new housing includes a single ground floor bespoke wheelchair flat with car port, specifically designed in consultation with the OT’s to meet the requirements of the end user tenants.

The ground floor housing is designed to provide barrier free access and includes private in-curtilage parking, while the larger wheelchair flat has a private driveway and car port. Upper floor flats are accessed from external stairs with glazed canopies.

All flats are provided with an allocated garden, with drying areas and bin storage, while a communal landscaped garden is proposed encouraging a sense of community whilst providing enhanced amenity space.

The wheelchair flat is designed to provide flexibility and to permit unrestricted wheelchair access. With this in mind, the flat incorporates an ensuite bathroom with level access shower and tracking hoist from the bedroom. The kitchen is designed specifically for wheelchair users with height adjustable work surfaces and integrated electrical appliances.

The house construction proposed is a highly insulated breathing wall timber frame, incorporating recycled newspaper with a simple palette of robust contemporary materials externally, which are in keeping with the surrounding residential context. Passive ventilation is proposed with high efficiency condensing boilers.