Durham House, 32 College Square North,

The property presents a development site of approx. 0.12 acres (0.05 hectares). Durham House is a predominantly 7 storey building with a plant room and one apartment on the top floor, which increases its overall height to 8 storeys. Parking and a token area of open/amenity space (approximately 30sqm) is provided on the ground floor with apartments on the upper floors. Durham House was built c.1969 as a 7-storey office building for the Youth Employment Service.

A planning application (Z/1990/2881) submitted in October 1990 by Durham Developments Ltd proposed to convert the vacant office building into sheltered housing accommodation comprising 39no. single person units. The application was approved in February 1991. BIH Housing Association and Boyd Partnership Architects submitted a planning application (Z/2001/1177/F) in May 2001 proposing to re-clad the building. The application was approved in August 2001 and works were completed by 2002.

Following the Grenfell fire in July 2017, McCormack Demolition removed the building’s cladding that was installed c.2001/02 during September – October 2017. The building has lay vacant ever since. The property is in a very poor state of repair and condition and it is now beyond its functional and economic lifespan.