Delivered through a partnership between the City of London Corporation and the London Borough of Lewisham, the development replaces Mais House – a 1970s block that had reached the end of its useful life – and significantly increases the amount of affordable housing in the area.

The scheme consists of a main apartment building providing 99 homes, together with a terrace of 11 houses, and includes a new community facility, a new estate office, and extensive landscaped areas that enhance the wider estate.

It’s a sensitive response to a steeply sloping site bordered by a conservation area, listed buildings and a historic arboretum. Although the original Victorian mansion has long been lost, remnants such as the terraced lawns and ha-ha remain alongside a significant collection of mature trees including the iconic bean tree.

Shared landscaped spaces and the resident community room encourage social interaction, wellbeing, connection to nature and cohesion across two previously separate sites, while supporting a mixed community of residents from both Lewisham and the City of London. Improved pedestrian routes enhance accessibility and support active lifestyles; Lamas Green is connected to Otto Close for the first time in the estate’s history.

The choice of long-lasting materials, including high-quality brickwork and ceramic finishes, ensure cohesion with the existing estate and reduce maintenance. Subtle detailing introduces a sense of optimism, while key landscape features – particularly the central bean tree –preserve identity, shade and continuity for future generations.