Big Step Forward for Twyford Abbey Development

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£84million contract awarded to Irish construction company

A visualisation of the proposed blocks of flats . Picture: Clarion Housing Group

February 27, 2025

The controversial development of the Twyford Abbey site has advanced with the awarding of the contract to a construction company.

Latimer, the development arm of the Clarion Housing Group, has chosen JJ Rhatigan, a contractor which was set up in Galway, to lead the £84 million project that will see 296 flats built on the site half of which will be classed as affordable.

The company was involved in the award-winning Charlemont Regeneration Project in Dublin, which features 79 social housing units and community amenities.

JJ Rhatigan’s appointment follows the completion of initial groundworks and sets the stage for full-scale construction to begin. Alongside delivering housing, the project will also restore a Grade II-listed walled garden for community use and claims to enhance the surrounding landscape. The historic Twyford Abbey building will also be restored in partnership with Picture Property Developments to create an additional 30 new flats while aiming to ensure its architectural heritage is preserved.

More public access to Twyford Abbey grounds is promised. Picture: Clarion Housing Group

RIBA Stirling Prize-winning architect Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) was appointed to design a low-rise development while also reopening the Abbey’s 1.2-acre South Lawn for public use for the first time in decades. The project will incorporate renewable electricity generated by rooftop photovoltaic panels, and heating and hot water will be supplied via Air Source Heat Pumps, significantly reducing CO2 emissions and improving energy efficiency.

There was widespread opposition to the original plan with over 200 objections made to the application mainly on the grounds of loss of trees and wildlife and building on Metropolitan open land. Residents argued that its location by heavily congested roads and industrial estate meant that the site acted as the ‘lungs’ for the open area.

There was a strong objection from West Twyford Primary School which is sited next to the proposed main exit of the development.

Despite these concerns the scheme was approved in October 2022 and a subsequent appeal against the decision to the Mayor was unsuccessful.

Twyford Abbey before redevelopment. Picture: Ealing Green Party

Richard Cook, Chief Development Officer at Clarion Housing Group, said, "We are pleased to appoint JJ Rhatigan as the principal contractor for this landmark development. We have successfully worked with them on previous projects, and their strong focus on safety and community investment aligns with our vision for the Twyford Abbey site. This contract represents another key milestone in our commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable homes while preserving the historical significance of the site."

Tom Neylon, UK Managing Director at JJ Rhatigan added, "We are delighted to have been chosen as the principal contractor for the Twyford Abbey development. This project offers a unique opportunity to blend contemporary housing solutions with the careful restoration of an important heritage site. We look forward to working with Latimer to deliver a high-quality, sustainable community."

With the contract now signed, construction is set to begin in March, with the first flats expected to be completed by 2027.

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