Rooted in their community – new Stamford Hill homes get underway
The latest genuinely affordable new homes in Hackney Council's pioneering housebuilding programme are underway as the Mayor of Hackney joined members of the Stamford Hill community to mark the start of construction.
Tower Court will see more than 50 new high-quality homes for social rent and shared ownership, replacing previous homes on the site overlooking Clapton Common that no longer met modern requirements, alongside a new base for volunteer-led ambulance service Hatzola. The homes are being built by the Council's contractor, Countryside.
Plans for the homes were developed in close collaboration with the Stamford Hill community, which is home to Europe’s largest Orthodox Jewish population. The new properties – suitable for all local residents – can accommodate larger families and have kitchens that can be adapted to meet Kosher requirements.
The new Council homes will be prioritised for families who previously lived in Tower Court, with the remainder allocated to those who need it most on the Council's waiting list.
The project is one of more than 20 sites where Hackney is building around 2,000 new homes between 2018 and 2022 – with more than half for genuinely affordable social rent or shared ownership. The remainder will be sold outright to help pay for social housing in the absence of significant Government funding.
With Hackney facing a severe housing crisis and over 13,000 people waiting for a Council home, this milestone is further proof that we’re doing everything we can to deliver the genuinely affordable housing we need to help families who need it most.
Just as importantly, by working hard to understand the needs of local people here in Stamford Hill, our plans for Tower Court show that the homes we build are firmly rooted in their communities and available and accessible to everyone who might need them.
Balconies in the properties allow a sukkah to be built for Jewish families celebrating Sukkot, and Shabbat-compliant lifts will also be installed.
This is a major milestone in the regeneration of the Tower Court estate and we are thrilled to get underway. The ceremony had a real sense of celebration and brought the community together behind this transformational scheme.
Having consulted closely with the local community, the homes are a great example of how we ensure we are meeting the needs of homebuyers and existing council tenants by providing modern, cleverly-designed homes surrounded by thoughtfully landscaped outside space – all in close proximity to an array of local amenities and community facilities.
Aware that the Hatzola ambulance service is a key part of the community, we are proud to have incorporated a new facility for them into our plans, along with architecture that is in keeping with the development’s historic surroundings
For more information, visit the Tower Court page.