The existing building is two storeys high plus basement, and is built in red brick and stone. Despite our commitment toleveraging embodied carbon, it is apparent that the building isn't suitable foran extension that would realise the site's true development potential.

As such, our proposals includeits demolition but we intend to reclaim the existing bricks and stone forre-use. This will have the dual effect of leveraging the carbon emissionsalready embodied in the structure, and allowing us to retain some of the characterand history of the previous building in the fabric of the new.

Eltham is a historic centre and was a favouredplace of royalty in the 13th-16th centuries; by the early 1930s, it hadexpanded into a major settlement, before being subsumed into the Royal Boroughof Greenwich in 1965. It's well served with public transport and green spacesand boasts several listed and architecturally significant buildings, includingEltham Palace which dates back to the 13th century.

Eltham High Street, which lies outside anyconservation zone, features a mix of styles, materials, finishes and eras. Roofstyles and heights vary a great deal, and older buildings stand side-by-sidewith the new. Recent additions to the High Street include a new multiplexcinema with allied retail and hospitality outlets.

The new building is designed to sit lightly withinEltham High Street, conceding some height to the row of terraced housing at therear, and creating a positive contribution to the street scene, withoutovershadowing or dominating the environment. The top floor holds the duplexapartment bedrooms and is sculpted to minimise its impact, while the windowscheme of the whole building ensures a combination of window and Juliet balconyfor every apartment's living room and bedroom.

We believe that our proposal for161-163 Eltham High Street represents a bright future for the site and abenefit to the area, delivering six desirable residences and a spaciouscommercial property into this bustling commercial district. By reclaiming bricksand other materials from the demolition, we have maximised the sustainabilitycharacteristics of the development while delivering a cost-effective and viablesolution to our client's needs.

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