A development which will see a former school site transformed into a landscaped park with more than 200 new homes has been shortlisted for a national design award.

Merton’s Rowan Park development at the former Rowan school site in Rowan Road will provide 217 affordable homes, a new community centre, medical centre and pharmacy.

Thirty per cent of the housing, which will include both family homes and apartments, will be affordable housing available to buy or rent through shared ownership schemes with a further 10 per cent available through the developer, Crest Nicholson’s first-time buyer initiative.

Across the site, solar panels, insulation and energy saving measures are planned while the original 1930s school building will be refurbished and converted into 27 apartments.

The project is one of 34 developments in the UK which have been shortlisted in the 2012 National Housing Design Awards.

Andrew Judge, cabinet member for environmental sustainability and regeneration said: "Rowan Park goes part of the way to providing some high quality affordable housing and maximising the use of public sector land assets for higher quality development. "It sets the benchmark for sustainability and high quality contemporary design."

For more information visit merton.gov.uk/rowan_park