The Goodfellows site in Bury St Edmunds has been a symbol of both sustainable innovation and unfortunate challenges. Originally constructed in 2008 by Havebury Housing, the timber-framed block of 12 eco-friendly flats received much praise, even winning the prestigious RIBA East Sustainability Award and the Suffolk Association of Architects Design Award in 2009. Despite its celebrated design, the building has been vacant since 2021 due to undisclosed structural and service-related issues that made it uninhabitable.
The once-promising development has now become a point of concern for the local community, with tenants having been rehomed years ago. M&D Developments, which bought the property earlier this year, has taken up the task of reimagining the space. In their submitted plans to West Suffolk Council, M&D outlined the financial and structural challenges that prevent the current building from being repaired. According to their analysis, it would cost over £1 million to make the existing structure livable, and even then, the building’s life span would be limited to only 15 more years. Given these findings, it was deemed more sensible to demolish the structure and replace it with a new development.
The proposed redevelopment would consist of three one-bedroom apartments, three two-bedroom apartments, and three three-bedroom houses. The new buildings will retain the three-storey height of the original flats, keeping in line with the area’s aesthetic while offering a fresh design. The properties will have street access and rear gardens, making them more suited to modern living.
M&D Developments, a local firm with a history of successful redevelopment projects, including the transformation of Blomfield House and ongoing work on the former St. James and St. Louis middle school sites, aims to bring a new chapter to the Goodfellows site. The decision to demolish the award-winning structure may seem like a loss for sustainable architecture, but it’s also an opportunity to bring lasting, quality housing to the community.
David Harris, director of M&D Developments, acknowledged the controversy surrounding the decision to sell and demolish the site. However, he defended Havebury’s choice to re-invest in more sustainable, long-term housing elsewhere, stating that it was an astute business move. While the fate of the old Goodfellows apartments may evoke mixed emotions, the potential for a more enduring housing solution stands at the forefront of the redevelopment plans.
