13 August 2025

Full refurbishment at Mervyn Smith


It was last autumn that the roof gave way at Mervyn Smith forcing them to move quickly into an empty unit two doors away. Refurbishment on the original site while slow to start has picked up in recent weeks and it looks as though it will soon be ready for occupation.

11 August 2025

Smaller window


I have been watching progress at 33 Ham Farm Road for months and while most of it has been hidden behind plastic sheeting some of it is visible, such as this section of the front of the house. This part is one of the few that has been retained from the original house and even this is changing as the window becomes smaller. 

It is still a little to early to tell but I think the new brick to glass ratio is wrong and the wall looks a bit forbidding.

9 August 2025

New gate in Hazel Lane


I walk along Hazel Lane regularly, mostly to avoid traffic-heavy Petersham Road, and while it changes little it does change from time to time and this neat gate is one of those changes.

4 August 2025

Clarendon SEND School


I was quite happy to wait for the new building/s on the former Strathmore site on Meadlands Drive to be build before discovering what they were only to have that surprise taken away from an information board on the site hoardings.

The diagram in the middle of the top row gives the new site layout and it seems it will be much like the previous school in form and function (though, of course, different specialist schools serve children with different needs and ages).

2 August 2025

Wood over steel


I am intrigued by the construction of the new Little Cottage (on the south-east corner of Sudbrook Lane and Bute Avenue) and have been since it started with a bright yellow metal frame. The wooden roof is another surprise to me. Of course that is not the end of the story and I look forward to seeing what is placed over the wood.