Scott Brownrigg 'dumbed down' design for Berkeley's Kidbrooke

The government's architecture adviser has called for the second phase of Berkeley Group's planned 4,500-home Kidbrooke regeneration scheme to be refused planning permission on design grounds.

Cabe's objection follows a design review of the Kidbrooke Vision scheme in Greenwich, south-east London, in which it branded “dumbed down” the 600-home second phase, designed by Scott Brownrigg.

The panel said the proposals did not share the “sophisticated and ambitious” nature of the Kidbrooke regeneration masterplan, by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, which in total proposes 4,500 homes and a school.

Cabe said it was unhappy that some of the houses were designed so that residents would be minded to use their back doors as the main entrance to their house, which the panel considered inappropriate.

Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands' original masterplan was described as 'sophisticated' by Cabe

Cabe was also critical of the lack of landscaping proposals for the parks, and the “residential quality” of the apartments. The panel concluded that it did not support the planning application in its present form.

John Anderson, chairman of Berkeley Homes, said: “Berkeley is working closely with its consultants and the newly formed Kidbrooke Design Review Panel.

“It is hoped that a revised planning application will be considered by Greenwich council in the next two months and that work on phase two can commence this summer.”

A spokesman for Scott Brownrigg said it was working to address the issues that Cabe raised.