Flat
refurbishment
in Dartmouth Park, NW5

At the 2011 Census, 71% of homes in the neighbourhood area were flats and 29% were houses.

A flat refurbishment here starts with three papers: the lease, the plans of the building and any consent given for earlier work.

Source: Dartmouth Park Neighbourhood Plan (made by Camden, 2 March 2020)

Lissenden Gardens Estate, built between 1900 and 1906, is three five-storey blocks in orange-red brick: Parliament Hill, Clevedon and Lissenden Mansions.

Inner rooms draw light and air from deep returns between pairs of flats, and the blocks have small balconies and plenty of windows or French doors.

Doulton tiles lead to the lobbies, the mortar was mixed red to match the brick, and the front doors have bevelled glass.

Inside a Lissenden flat we keep the returns open for light and run new services up the existing risers.

Source: Camden: Dartmouth Park Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Statement (adopted 22 January 2009)

Grove End House on Highgate Road, an early 19th century detached house listed Grade II, is now split into flats.

Bertram Street's 1860s terraces were multi-occupied from the start.

On Bramshill Gardens, Nos 32 to 38 were built as flats in semi-detached houses below street level.

In a divided house we map which walls, floors and pipes belong to the flat and which to the building before writing a scope.

Source: Camden: Dartmouth Park Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Statement (adopted 22 January 2009)

Camden Council manages many of the area's blocks of flats, and the appraisal finds they are often the buildings that have had unsympathetic alterations.

For a leaseholder in a council-managed block we ask the housing team which consents the work needs before design begins.

Source: Camden: Dartmouth Park Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Statement (adopted 22 January 2009)

Secondary glazing keeps the historic sash in place and in use, and should be draught-proofed against condensation.

Camden notes that windows and doors can often be upgraded with draught-proofing, secondary glazing and thicker glass without spoiling their look.

We survey every sash, list which ones can be repaired and price secondary glazing room by room.

Sources: Camden: Energy efficiency planning guidance for Dartmouth Park Conservation Area (adopted 23 August 2012), Camden: Dartmouth Park Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Statement (adopted 22 January 2009)

A lease that forbids cutting the external walls would also rule out new openings for pipes, LEASE notes.

Camden's 2012 guidance says most modern boilers take a balanced flue horizontally through an outside wall and need a condensate drain.

It adds that once a home is sealed against draughts, its ventilation has to be planned rather than left to gaps and leaks.

So the route for each new pipe, flue and duct is agreed with the freeholder before the kitchen or bathroom layout is fixed, and the drawings show where every one leaves the flat.

Sources: LEASE: Alterations and home improvements, Camden: Energy efficiency planning guidance for Dartmouth Park Conservation Area (adopted 23 August 2012)

Camden permits noisy work without further authorisation from 8am to 6pm on weekdays and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

The other flats get a written note of the noisy days, the common stairs are protected, and they are cleared every evening.

Deliveries are booked for the quietest part of the day, and the front door of the building is never left propped open while materials come in.

Source: Camden Council: noisy building works