Shoreditch based practice, LOM architecture and design have secured planning consent for the reimagining of Hampton Waterworks. The conservation project involves the transformation of a long-derelict, Grade II listed Victorian industrial site in Richmond upon Thames, into a vibrant new mixed-use community.
Built in the 1850s as monumental pumping houses for London’s water supply, the site has stood empty for years, deteriorating and at risk of permanent loss.
The consent marks the culmination of 7 years of design development, consultation and negotiation to overcome the complex challenges of restoring and adapting historic infrastructure for contemporary use.
LOM’s approved proposals carefully balance heritage sensitivity with viability, ensuring the site’s renewal against significant constraints. The adaptive reuse scheme will deliver 36 high-quality new homes, ranging from one to four-bedroom units, alongside 306 sqm of flexible workspace, breathing new life into the Waterworks as a place to live and work.
The proposals retain and restore the Waterworks’ imposing Victorian fabric while introducing carefully considered extensions and structural interventions to retain the historic fabric and ensure long-term feasibility. Contemporary glazed rooftop additions and rear extension sit modestly alongside the historic structures, designed to complement their scale and character. Interiors will expose and celebrate original industrial features, from wrought iron trusses and gantry cranes to ceramic tiling, creating distinctive spaces rich in heritage.
New communal gardens, private terraces, play space and a landscaped setting will open up the site and reconnect it with Hampton village. The design also resolves significant access and viability hurdles, enabling the reuse of buildings once considered too challenging to restore.
Through this approval, Hampton Waterworks can finally be rescued from dereliction and reimagined as a distinctive residential and workspace development, an ambitious example of heritage-led regeneration delivered against the odds. By creating a community, LOM’s design will support Hampton Waterworks continued role within the local neighbourhood for years to come.
Project Lead & LOM Director, Richard Hutchinson comments:
“This consent represents an extraordinary milestone for Hampton Waterworks. From the outset, the challenge was how to safeguard the integrity of these remarkable Victorian structures while creating a viable future for them. Many believed the site was too complex to bring back into meaningful use, but through perseverance, collaboration and creative design, we’ve secured a permission that can both protect its heritage and allow it to thrive once more. It’s a genuine success against the odds – and a testament to the value of never giving up on important buildings.”