Twyford Abbey Redevelopment Reaches Topping-Out Milestone
Transformation of historic site on target for 2028 completion
The project team on the roof of the building during the topping out ceremony. Picture: Ealing Council
August 6, 2026
A major milestone has been reached in the long-running redevelopment of Twyford Abbey, with a topping-out ceremony marking the completion of the highest point of the new residential buildings rising on the historic site. The event signals a new phase in a project that has been years in the making, shaped by controversy, planning battles and heritage concerns.
Latimer, the development arm of Clarion Housing Group, is constructing 296 new flats within the abbey grounds. Of these, 70 will be let at social rent and 68 offered through shared ownership. The units —ranging from one to three bedrooms—are expected to be completed in spring 2028.
The topping-out comes eighteen months after Latimer appointed JJ Rhatigan as the principal contractor for the £84 million scheme. The Galway-founded firm, known for its work on Dublin’s award-winning Charlemont Regeneration Project, took over following initial groundworks and has led full-scale construction since early 2025. At the time, Clarion’s Chief Development Officer Richard Cook described the appointment as “another key milestone in our commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable homes while preserving the historical significance of the site,” while JJ Rhatigan’s UK Managing Director Tom Neylon emphasised the “unique opportunity to blend contemporary housing solutions with the careful restoration of an important heritage site.”
More public access to Twyford Abbey grounds is promised. Picture: Clarion Housing Group
That restoration forms the second major strand of the project. Alongside the new homes, the Grade II-listed Twyford Abbey building will be refurbished in partnership with Picture Property Developments to create 30 additional flats, while aiming to ensure the Victorian structure’s architectural character is protected. The scheme also includes the revival of the abbey’s walled garden and extensive landscaping across the wider grounds.
The most visible benefit will be the opening of the abbey’s south lawn—an expanse equivalent to 16 tennis courts—which will become a public park for the first time in more than three decades. Plans include children’s play facilities, community growing gardens, an orchard, 157 new trees and new walking and cycling routes. Council leader Peter Mason said the milestone marked progress not only in housing delivery but in unlocking long-inaccessible green space. “The opening of the south lawn and the extensive landscaping works will create a wonderful new outdoor space for the community,” he said.
Twyford Abbey before redevelopment. Picture: Ealing Green Party
Councillor Monica Hamidi, cabinet member for good growth, called the topping-out “an important milestone in the restoration of one of the borough’s most historic sites,” adding that the development “combines affordable housing, heritage restoration, and new public spaces, ensuring this landmark site can once again be enjoyed by the community.”
The journey to this point has not been straightforward. The original application—approved by Ealing Council in October 2022—attracted more than 200 objections, with residents and environmental groups raising concerns about the loss of woodland, the removal of around 150 trees, and the impact of building on Metropolitan Open Land. West Twyford Primary School objected strongly to the location of the proposed main exit, and local MP Rupa Huq described the scheme as a “gross over-development.” Campaigners hoped the Mayor of London would intervene, but in December 2022 he confirmed he would allow the council’s decision to stand.
Planning officers argued at the time that the scheme would deliver a net gain in biodiversity through extensive replanting and a £100,000 contribution for additional tree planting elsewhere. They also emphasised the public benefits of opening up the abbey grounds for the first time in decades and securing funding for the restoration of the historic building.
Architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), winners of the RIBA Stirling Prize, were appointed to design a low-rise scheme that balanced heritage sensitivity with modern sustainability measures. The development incorporates rooftop photovoltaic panels and air-source heat pumps to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency.
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