Oddment, a newly established architect-developer firm specializing in small-site development, has received planning approval for its inaugural project in London. The company, founded last year by former Bell Phillips architects Ned Scott and Alex Somerville, will develop a pair of two-bedroom houses on a unique plot composed of two rear gardens located on Torridon Road in Catford, within the London Borough of Lewisham.
The site had previously seen two unsuccessful development attempts before Oddment's successful application. The emerging practice credited recent changes in local planning policy, specifically the borough's Small Sites Design Guide adopted in October 2021, for encouraging their approach to the challenging project. The firm expressed confidence that the development obstacles could be overcome through active engagement with both local planners and residents throughout the entire design process.
The architectural design draws significant inspiration from nearby historic landmarks, particularly the listed Corbett Community Library and St Andrews Church situated across the street. According to an Oddment spokesperson, the material choices and elevation designs reflect this contextual approach. "The red brick remains consistent across the building with a change in mortar color to establish a plinth to the building, with the precast crown offering a nod to the stone balustrade at the top of the library," the spokesperson explained. "The finer details at the human scale transform the street frontage and a forgotten parcel of land into new high-quality family homes."
The project encompasses a total gross internal floor area of 178.4 square meters and involves multiple specialized consultants. West Green Planning served as the planning consultant, while various technical experts contributed to different aspects of the development. These include Arbtech for ecology, arboriculture, and biodiversity net gain consultation; Transport Planning Practice for transport matters; T16 Design for daylight and sunlight analysis; Jon Wright for heritage consultation; and GEM Air Quality for air quality assessment. Grant Mitchell provided the project visuals.
Oddment is currently collaborating with a development partner to bring the scheme to fruition, with the firm expecting to be retained as both architect and principal designer for RIBA stages 4 and 5. The construction timeline is ambitious but well-planned, with tender processes scheduled for August 2025 and site work potentially beginning as early as November 2025. The project is expected to reach completion by November 2026, with a contract duration of 12 months. The development is privately funded and operates under planning application reference DC/24/138501.
This debut project represents a significant milestone for Oddment as they establish themselves in London's competitive small-site development market. The successful approval demonstrates their strategy of combining architectural expertise with development acumen, while maintaining sensitivity to local heritage and community concerns. The transformation of this previously undevelopable land into quality family housing exemplifies the potential for thoughtful infill development in urban areas facing housing shortages.
