Hammerson House on the notorious Billionaires’ Row is surrounded by multi-million pound properties including the £108,000 per month mansion Heath Hall, which was recently rented by Justin Bieber.
The 1961-built Jewish care home has been granted planning permission by Barnet council for a complete renovation and expansion.
The £38million redevelopment will include an on-site hair salon, shop, public restaurant and reception rooms for social events and religious festivals, and dedicated therapy suite funded through donations, fundraising and money from Nightingale Hammerson, the 170-year-old charity established in the East End to provide care facilities to Jewish people.
Alongside revamped communal spaces, capacity at the home will be increased by a third to include 116 en suite rooms.
Architect Pollard Thomas Edwards have been appointed for the complete update, working alongside Hammerson House staff to develop their designs.
Patrick Devlin, partner at Pollard Thomas Edwards, told the Architects Journal: “The advantages of working with staff involved in residents’ day to day care include being able to test innovative design ideas against their practical experience.”
The practice has worked on other resident-led housing projects for older people, including Woodside Square in Muswell Hill and the recently completed Older Women’s Co-housing (OWCH) development in Barnet.
The proposed design takes its cue from the Arts & Crafts architecture in nearby Hampstead Garden Suburb, featuring glazed ceramic cladding tiles and stone-clad pavilions, but the frontage, which is open to the street is in contrast to the gated security of the neighbouring mansions.
Melvin Lawson, chairman of Nightingale Hammerson, said: “We are delighted that we can now move forward with our plans to redevelop Hammerson House.
“Our priority is to continue the long tradition of providing an exemplary standard of care for the Jewish community. The needs of older people in the community are evolving and we must be able to provide homes with flexible care solutions.”
Building work is expected to start next year and all current Hammerson House residents have been relocated.
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