Small sites play an important part in creating homes in sustainable locations within our urban and suburban neighbourhoods. Previously considered as "windfall" opportunities, now that large urban regeneration projects have stalled due to viability issues and delays with the Building Safety Regulator, the government is rightly seeing small-scale infill and intensification as a realistic means to help deliver its 1.5m home target.
To demonstrate how small site development can reinvigorate our cities, we need to be able to point to examples of where it's done well. This website is an attempt to gather together some of the best small site housing schemes that have been delivered in London over recent years.
If you're aware of a small site exemplar which is missing from our library, please to add it to our list.
What is a small site?
Under policy H2 of the London Plan a small site is defined as having an area no larger than a quarter of a hectare (2,500sqm). There is no limit on the number of homes that can be included on the site. Subdivisions of larger properties into smaller homes also count as a small site. Under the Plan, each borough is required to deliver a proportion of their new homes housing target on small sites, although this ratio varies from place to place.
Site Types
Small sites typically fall into one of a small number of distinct categories. These site types are generally described within various planning policies, although the terminology often varies between them. We have set out the most common site types below. Note that these descriptions are our own, and are not universally recognised across all planning authorities. In fact, some of these are likely to be prohibited in some areas, and encouraged in others.
Backland
Typically garages or small industrial sites surrounded on all sides by existing development, usually with a single point of access from the public highway.
Conversion
The change of use (and potentially the extension) of an existing building into new homes, where there is a net gain of at least one dwelling.
Corner Intensification
The development of an existing plot, perhaps where a single dwelling already exists, at the intersection of two roads, which results in a net gain the number of dwelling on the site.
Estate Infill
Development of new homes on existing open or redundant space within the curtilege of an existing residential building other than a single dwellinghouse.
Intensification
The replacement of an existing residential building with a larger development resulting in a net increase in the number of dwellings on the site.
Landlocked
Landlocked sites are those which do not have direct access to the public highway, and are generally only accessible by passing through the demise of another property. Often these are described as "courtyard" houses.
Mews
Where an existing dwelling has a deep garden, the end of which has direct access to the public highway, allowing new dwellings to be built facing onto the street.
Side Street Infill
Development to the rear of an existing dwellinghouse where the garden has direct access to the public highway.
Street Extension
Usually where a new dwelling is added to the end of an existing row of terraces.
Street Infill
A gap between two buildings which has direct access to the public highway.
Vacant Land
Surplus open space, such as undeveloped land, garages, or car parks which do not have existing homes on them.
Wedge
Typically found on the outer edge of the bend in a suburban road, a wedge site is formed when an existing plot widens out to create a large rear garden which can be subdivided to create a new plot with direct access to the public highway.