Trevu Road, a large development project in Camborne, Cornwall, was named winner in the residential category at the RICS South West Awards 2013.
norman rourke pryme project managed the building of the 56 unit affordable homes scheme on a town centre brownfield site.
The site previously housed the Holman’s No. 3 rock drill works which manufactured compressed air powered drills for the mining and quarrying industries. For 200 years it was a major employer for a community steeped in mining history.
After the company closed the works in 2001, the site became derelict and, although its potential was obvious, various schemes failed to meet all the stakeholders’ expectations.
Coastline Housing acquired the site in 2009 and eventually achieved the go-ahead to move forward with the scheme.
The area was given World Heritage Status and the conservation of some of the buildings had to be undertaken according to UNESCO guidelines in order to preserve the identity of the location.
Regenerating the site required innovative and extensive engineering efforts in façade retention and the safe restoration of roofs, walls, trusses and gable ends on the verge of collapse.
The result is an imaginative mix of new build, conversion and refurbishment, which provided 44 rented homes and 12 shared ownership units.
Allocations are managed through a local letting plan created in partnership with the local authority specifically for the site. In order to create a sustainable community, the plan includes transfers, homeless and waiting list applicants.
All new build properties meet the Code for Sustainable Homes level 3. They also achieved Building for Life, secure by design and Lifetime Homes standards.
Letetia Jones of norman rourke pryme said: ‘The transformation has created much needed homes, a sustainable community, and is an inspiring example of what can be achieved by the close working and determination of organisations.’
