Bell Green Works

We set out to transform a decommissioned gasworks site into a welcoming new piece of city – somewhere people would want to live, visit and pass through. Barratt London acquired the site with an ambition to deliver high-quality homes, generous public realm and flexible ground-floor uses, helping to catalyse positive change across the wider Bell Green area.

From the outset, the design was shaped by context. Working closely with Lewisham Council, we explored how new buildings and public spaces could sit alongside the Grade II listed Livesey Memorial Hall and reconnect a fragmented retail landscape. The ambition was to create coherent streets and squares, while responding to local housing need with a mix of one, two and three-bed apartments, including affordable homes. The scheme has now been consented, providing a clear framework for the future neighbourhood.

We began by reading the site’s layers: the geometry of the former gasholders, the civic character of Livesey Hall and the rhythms of the New London Vernacular. These informed proportions, brickwork and detailing across six buildings, creating variety within a shared language. Working closely with planners, we addressed the complexities of a challenging brownfield site while prioritising permeability and legibility.

Landscape played a central role. With MacFarlane + Associates, we shaped the square and courtyards around movement, planting and play, using paving and furnishings to recall the gasholders’ footprints. Green infrastructure is maximised to support biodiversity and encourage everyday outdoor life. At ground level, commercial spaces activate edges and invite the neighbourhood in. Much care was taken to enliven the public realm: workspaces were thoughtfully placed in key corners to ensure sustained footfall and constant activity. The consented proposals set out a place designed for living first – stitched carefully into its context and ready to grow with its community.