Architect redesigns Haringey housing scheme paused by collapse of main contractor

Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt has revised its plans for a housing development in north London following the insolvency of the scheme’s main contractor Henry Construction.

The Basingstoke practice, which was named Building Design’s Young Architect of the Year in 2017, is proposing to increase the number of homes on the original 72-home scheme by almost two-thirds.

The new £30m plans for Plevna Crescent have been resubmitted to Haringey council and now propose a total of 119 homes across four buildings.

The changes amount to nine additional storeys split between the buildings, which will rise from a shared podium designed to become inhabited over time by surrounding greenery and wildlife.

Construction of the scheme, which is being developed for Marson, was paused in 2023 following the collapse of its contractor Henry Construction Projects.

The £400m firm sank into administration in June last year with the loss of around 40 jobs and debts of more than £43m.

Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt director Matthew Chamberlain said the revisions “balance increased housing provision with environmental sensitivity, creating a sustainable living environment that aligns with Haringey’s evolving urban context”. 

The scheme is also car-free, step-free and tenure blind. Construction is scheduled to restart next summer and complete in late 2026.

The project team also includes landscape architects Ruth Campbell & Co, planning consultant Daniel Rose Planning and structural engineer Whitby Wood.