Westmead, Westminster – Affordable Housing in a Historic Urban Setting

Overview

The Westmead redevelopment is a flagship residential scheme for Westminster City Council, delivering 65 new affordable homes in a dense, urban environment. Located on Tavistock Road in North Kensington, the six-storey development replaces an outdated building with a modern, efficient, and environmentally conscious housing scheme, designed to enhance community living while contributing to the borough’s net zero ambitions.

This project continues Willmott Dixon’s strong relationship with Westminster following the successful delivery of schemes such as Dudley House, Harrow Road, and Moberly Leisure Centre.

Project Delivery & Challenges Overcome

The scheme is being delivered via the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) framework, with a design and build contract under JCT 2016. With a fixed-price structure and 88-week programme, the development will be completed by October 2025.

Key delivery strategies and challenges include:

• Working in a constrained, high-density London location, requiring detailed logistics planning and sensitive community engagement.
• Integration of sustainable technologies, including exhaust air heat pumps and PV panels, supporting compliance with AECB (Association for Environment Conscious Building) standards.
• Managing multiple stakeholders, including Westminster’s planning, housing, and regeneration teams, while maintaining BIM Level 2 design coordination.
• Balancing architectural quality and affordability, ensuring design excellence while achieving value for money and community benefit.

Over 80% of procurement has already been secured, ensuring early cost certainty and strong supply chain commitment.

Key Features & Design Highlights

The Westmead development offers a blend of functionality, sustainability, and place-making, providing:

• 65 affordable homes, including a mix of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom units, suitable for families and individuals.
• In-situ concrete primary frame with SFS (steel) secondary structure, offering long-term durability and thermal mass benefits.
• High-quality external cladding and façade treatments, providing an attractive, modern appearance while meeting fire safety standards.
• Landscaped public realm improvements, including new green spaces and improved pedestrian access.
• Dedicated cycle and refuse storage, supporting low-carbon living and active travel.

The homes are designed with energy performance, comfort, and community cohesion in mind—a key requirement from Westminster City Council.

Sustainability & Environmental Impact

The Westmead project is designed to align with Westminster City Council’s environmental targets and Willmott Dixon’s “Now or Never” sustainability strategy, with a particular focus on operational energy efficiency and low-carbon construction methods.

Sustainability features include:

• Exhaust air heat pumps, reducing reliance on gas and improving efficiency.
• Photovoltaic (PV) panels, providing on-site renewable electricity.
• AECB-compliant performance specification, supporting low-energy design principles.
• Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS), mitigating flood risk and enhancing biodiversity.
• Enhanced building fabric insulation and low-emissivity glazing, delivering year-round energy performance.

These systems will deliver significant energy savings and lower operational costs for residents.

Community & Social Value

As with all Willmott Dixon schemes, Westmead is being delivered with a strong emphasis on social value, local employment, and skills development:

• Support for local apprentices and training placements, building careers in construction.
• Local supply chain engagement, with over £15 million already placed in the regional economy.
• CLOCS and Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) registration, ensuring safety, respect, and transparency on site.
• Public realm improvements around Tavistock Road, enhancing community space and neighbourhood pride.

Client Feedback

"This project is a vital part of our plan to deliver more affordable, sustainable homes in Westminster. Westmead will provide high-quality housing that fits seamlessly into the local context, while demonstrating what is possible through sustainable urban regeneration."
— Michael Marcello, Development Manager, Westminster City Council