Wandsworth Council starts work on a new home building programme starting with 57 flats on three disused sites in Nine Elms.
Published on
March 13, 2015
Wandsworth Council has now started work on a new home building programme which will see at least 300 council rent homes built in the next five years.
The first developments are now underway in Nine Elms where 57 flats are now being built across three disused sites.
Plans for another 12 sites are in the pipeline and surveys are underway to identify more potential schemes.
The new council homes will be made available to Wandsworth residents to rent at well below market rates. A typical rent could be as little as 50 per cent of local market rates depending on household circumstances.
Top priority for the first 57 properties in Nine Elms will go to council tenants living in the local area who want to downsize or those living in overcrowded homes. Once these households move in the homes they leave behind will be offered to other Wandsworth residents, beginning chains of beneficial moves across the borough.
The building work is being part funded by the money received from Right to Buy sales and contributions from private development sites.
Council leader and co-chair of the Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership, Ravi Govindia said: “I’m delighted to announce we have broken ground on a major new home building programme. Our aim is to build 300 homes for low cost rent starting with the three developments here in the Nine Elms regeneration area.
“Every one of these properties will go to local people and I look forward to welcoming the first families through the door.”
Wandsworth Council cabinet member for housing Paul Ellis said:
“Wandsworth Council pioneered the Hidden Homes initiative which has already seen 250 new council homes created from underused and derelict spaces on our housing estates. Our new building programme will see us go further by delivering entirely new blocks and houses where land is available.
“The programme is just one initiative in our new housing strategy – the Wandsworth Housing Offer – which will see the council help a much broader range of people than ever before to achieve their housing aspirations.”
Find out more about Wandsworth Council’s housing strategy.
To find out if you are eligible for affordable housing visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/homeownership or email housesales@wandsworth.gov.uk or call 020 8871 6016.