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Residents pleased with the Triangle

2:20pm Sunday 11th December 2011 in News

RESIDENTS at The Triangle development say they are delighted with its starring role in a Channel 4 television series.

On Thursday night, the development, off Northern Road, Ferndale, was featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs, which is presented Kevin McCloud, the man behind the scheme.

The Triangle is a sustainable 42-home development from Hab Oakus – the partnership between Kevin McCloud’s company Hab and housing group GreenSquare.

The series follows the five-year project from concept to build. The Triangle comprises 16 two-bed houses, 13 three-bed houses, seven four-bed houses, four one-bed apartments, and two two-bed apartments.

Ron Southfield, 36, of nearby Northern Road, said it was nice to have a show focusing on Swindon.

“I thought it was a good show. Those new homes around there are fairly well known so that’s why I suppose it appeared on TV. People like them, they are a bit different.”

Another resident at the development said: “I wasn’t here when it was being filmed so it was interesting to see it on TV. It was a good show. It shows it in a good light.

“It’s quite a nice area to live in. I have been here for only a few months now and I think people are proud of the area where they live, which is nice.”

The Triangle project was submitted for planning and approved by Swindon Council in October 2009.

Work commenced at the beginning of May 2010 and the first residents began moving into at the end of June 2011.

The award-winning designs, by Glenn Howells Architects with landscape architects Studio Engleback, are informed by Hab Oakus’ fundamental principles – a strong sense of community, a belief in the importance of public space, respect for cyclists and pedestrians, and a commitment to sustainable lifestyles and outstanding contextual design.

Comments(24)

SockPuppet says...
3:15pm Sun 11 Dec 11

Lovely homes but I'm sure the residents will agree they haven't been finished yet.

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house on the hill says...
4:18pm Sun 11 Dec 11

I did enjoy the show and they look nice houses, but lets give it a few years and then judge whether it is a success or not, it is too soon to make that assessment.

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abbotboy says...
6:24pm Sun 11 Dec 11

Can someone tell Mr Mcleod, that the allotment site next door is not brownfields, but an allotment site that has been thrown to the winds by this council, and we are fighting for its return to allotment use, they can't get into it as the land in front is 'open space', as laid down by a convenant so what are they going to do.

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STFCSTFC says...
6:40pm Sun 11 Dec 11

It is vile and looks like a prision camp and Mr Mcleod thinks his design represents swindon

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Constant81 says...
7:01pm Sun 11 Dec 11

Can I just ask what you mean by the site next door? Do you mean the site up the top of northern road?

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Bobby Bee says...
9:01pm Sun 11 Dec 11

Kevin Mccloud was fortunate to secure a site in a decent area of Swindon so the houses should be successful.
But reading the TV reviews for the week I'm not so sure!

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fedupagain says...
11:08pm Sun 11 Dec 11

It was a shame that they did not show the problems that the residents surrounding this dreadful site are still having to put up with. Kevin McCloud said during the programme that people should judge him once the houses were built. Strange that he has disappeared and what is really thought of this site can not be put to him! Improve the life of those who now have homes he may have done but no mention of the lives he has ruined with his 'grand design!'

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Always Grumpy says...
6:53am Mon 12 Dec 11

fedupagain wrote:
It was a shame that they did not show the problems that the residents surrounding this dreadful site are still having to put up with. Kevin McCloud said during the programme that people should judge him once the houses were built. Strange that he has disappeared and what is really thought of this site can not be put to him! Improve the life of those who now have homes he may have done but no mention of the lives he has ruined with his 'grand design!'
How have lives been 'ruined'?
Just because existing residents had to put up with the inconvenience of a nearby building site and the loss of their view at the back is hardly having their lives 'ruined'!
An earthquake or a devistating flood is having your life 'ruined'. Hardly the same is it?
I think you're a bit over dramatic with all of this.

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Robfm says...
8:21am Mon 12 Dec 11

Strange how permission for 42 properties on just 1 hectare of land was approved but smaller developments on larger plots aren't.

It is relatively easy to make a success of a development when 90% of the funding came from the tax payer.

Just like the Muse, Union Square, development the tax/rate payer is picking up the tab.

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I Too says...
9:55am Mon 12 Dec 11

Good point Bored Barman

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abbotboy says...
12:31pm Mon 12 Dec 11

the allotment site is at the back what is called Kembrey grass, and at the side of Malvern road\tiverton road.

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KeepItReal_ says...
4:43pm Mon 12 Dec 11

It looks like a prison or somethin

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Constant81 says...
7:21pm Mon 12 Dec 11

I'm guessing you didn't mean next door to the triangle then! That's two miles away from each other! And I know prisons are supposedly getting nicer but I'm sure they're not up to that standard yet :-)

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abbotboy says...
8:27pm Mon 12 Dec 11

the site is known as 'pickards field small', and he refererred to it as next door and being a brownfield site, that he wants to build on as well, but the covenant will now stop him.......

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abbotboy says...
8:27pm Mon 12 Dec 11

the site is known as 'pickards field small', and he refererred to it as next door and being a brownfield site, that he wants to build on as well, but the covenant will now stop him.......

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house on the hill says...
8:27pm Mon 12 Dec 11

Isnt it all social housing in there now? Will be interesting to see if it decends to the level of other developments in and around Swindon. As usual, great idea, not so good in reality.

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house on the hill says...
8:28pm Mon 12 Dec 11

Isnt it all social housing in there now? Will be interesting to see if it decends to the level of other developments in and around Swindon. As usual, great idea, not so good in reality.

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house on the hill says...
8:28pm Mon 12 Dec 11

Isnt it all social housing in there now? Will be interesting to see if it decends to the level of other developments in and around Swindon. As usual, great idea, not so good in reality.

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Constant81 says...
8:34pm Mon 12 Dec 11

It's not all social housing no, 50% off the council waiting list 50% rent to buy.

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Malkym says...
11:15pm Mon 12 Dec 11

Bobby Bee wrote:
Kevin Mccloud was fortunate to secure a site in a decent area of Swindon so the houses should be successful. But reading the TV reviews for the week I'm not so sure!
Good job he didn't choose Coate then!

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KeepItReal_ says...
10:47am Tue 13 Dec 11

Lucky he didnt choose Coate.

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jerry59 says...
1:53pm Tue 13 Dec 11

more houses, no work

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Always Grumpy says...
9:33am Fri 16 Dec 11

Having seen last nights program and the people now living there, it's quite possibly the last place I would want to live.
It now looks like squalid, social housing at it's very worse.

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Lovelyman says...
7:43pm Sat 17 Dec 11

I'd like to know where Kevin McCloud lives, and if he would like to live in The Triangle with his family? A Grand Design for other people to live in

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