Burford Street Residential Development

Broxbourne Borough Council’s Burford Street redevelopment represents a cornerstone of the wider Hoddesdon Town Centre Strategy.

By transforming a former surface car park into 17 high-quality homes, the project replaces an unloved and underused town centre site with a contemporary architectural statement that prioritises community, heritage and sustainable living.

Architectural excellence and placemaking

We provided an architecture and urban design-led interdisciplinary team to help shape the redevelopment of the Burford Street site.

The design moves beyond simple housing to focus on active placemaking, creating a development that feels connected to the wider town centre and contributes positively to the surrounding environment.

The building has been carefully arranged to create a welcoming presence on both Burford Street and Haslewood Avenue, strengthening the surrounding street scene and improving connections across the town centre. Sat within a sensitive conservation area, it uses a modern material palette that respects the historic character of Hoddesdon while introducing a clean, contemporary aesthetic.

The development also acts as a catalyst for wider public realm improvements, with new landscaping and seating areas incorporated to improve pedestrian connectivity and create a more welcoming and accessible environment across the town centre.

Community-centric living

Every part of the internal layout has been designed around comfort, flexibility and long-term viability.

A balanced mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments ensures the development can support a wide range of residents while providing flexible, modern living spaces. While temporary accommodation, the quality of the units is indistinguishable from market-led apartments. Each home is self-contained and includes its own private balcony, ensuring every resident has access to private outdoor space and a high standard of personal amenity.

The southern part of the site is dedicated to a 390m² communal garden, creating a quieter green retreat away from the main road and providing residents with shared outdoor space that establishes a clear distinction between public and private areas.

Bringing form and function together

The proposal moves away from traditional pastiche, adopting a modern rectilinear approach that uses materials to bridge the gap between historic and contemporary architecture.

Brickwork with stone banding and contrasting detailing creates depth across the elevations, adding rhythm and visual interest while avoiding a monolithic appearance. A prominent cut-out corner with a dedicated balcony creates a landmark feature along the Burford Street frontage, establishing a clear identity at the entrance to the site. Oversized windows set within deep reveals and framed in powder-coated aluminium provide a high-quality finish, bringing natural light deep into the apartments.

The site layout has also been carefully considered to maximise its potential while respecting neighbouring privacy. Building heights rise to four storeys along the Burford Street and Haslewood Avenue frontages before stepping down to three storeys through the central connecting link, reducing overall massing.

To maintain a clean street scene, the development incorporates an undercroft car park accessed via Haslewood Avenue, alongside integrated bin and cycle storage.

Sustainability and green architecture

Environmental performance was embedded throughout the design. High-performance glazing, energy-efficient systems and cross-ventilation strategies help improve thermal comfort and support Part O overheating standards.

Concealed solar PV arrays have been incorporated without affecting the historic skyline, while green roof elements, bird boxes and native planting support biodiversity net gain.

Flood mitigation measures and air quality considerations have also been integrated into the wider technical design to help create a safe and healthy environment for residents.

This is more than a residential scheme; it is a vital revitalisation effort. By optimising brownfield land, the project protects local greenbelts while bringing new life – and footfall –to the heart of Hoddesdon, ensuring the town remains a vibrant place to live, work and visit.