Southwark Council has signed contracts with two partners to provide at least 360 new council homes at a range of sites across the borough, building on its current record of delivering more new council homes than any other local authority in England. These new homes will be owned and managed by the council for residents on its housing waiting list.
Wates Residential will develop four sites: Wickway (Gloucester Grove Estate), Bells Gardens Estate and Lindley Estate in Peckham and Wyndham Road in Camberwell. They will build at least 343 homes across these four sites, which will be 100% affordable, including at least 131 council homes.
Mount Anvil will also develop four sites; Seven Islands Leisure Centre and Red Lion Boys Club in Rotherhithe, 1-36 Priter Road and Beormund School in Bermondsey. They will build at least 786 homes, with at least 50% of these homes being affordable, including at least 229 council homes.
These homes are additional to the more than 3,000 council homes completed or under construction in Southwark. Site by site proposals will be shared with local residents in due course once initial designs are complete and will be subject to the usual planning process.
Cllr Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development, said:
“At a time when councils face major challenges in providing more council homes, and many developments across England have stalled, we are proud to be forging ahead with ambitious plans to build hundreds more high-quality homes. We expect to provide at least 60% affordable housing across all of the developments, with high quality new council homes at the heart of what we have negotiated. “I look forward to working with our new partners, Wates and Mount Anvil, supported by the GLA to deliver on these ambitious plans. And as we seek to respond to the Housing Crisis, local residents will be engaged every step of the way.
Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, said:
“We’re pleased to support Southwark Council’s record delivery of thousands of affordable, high-quality and sustainable council homes. Backed with grant funding from City Hall, these homes will make a huge difference to the lives of Londoners in the borough, as we continue to build a better and fairer London for all.”
Paul Nicholls, London Managing Director for Wates Residential said:
“Today marks the start of a hugely collaborative partnership with Southwark Council. From day one, our teams have worked shoulder to shoulder to swiftly conclude the legal agreements, setting us up to move at pace. There’s a clear sense of energy and shared purpose to deliver the much needed homes and community spaces across Southwark. We’re proud to bring Wates Residential’s commitment to reimagining places for people to thrive to this next wave of homes for Southwark’s residents.”
Darragh Hurley, Chief Executive Officer at Mount Anvil, said:
“We appreciate Southwark placing their trust in us to deliver high quality new homes for their residents. This partnership shows that by working together we can overcome the current market and financial challenges to deliver more of the homes that will give all Londoners a place to call home.”
Southwark already has an impressive record on homebuilding as one of the largest council homebuilders in the country. Southwark has already built or started construction on over 3,000 council homes across the borough, and this agreement will see this trend continue into the future.