Council homes and community gardening – Clapton plans approved
Genuinely affordable new homes and a permanent community garden will be built in Clapton after the latest step in ambitious plans to deliver the new Council homes Hackney desperately needs was approved last night.
The 11 high-quality new Council homes – part of almost 2,000 to be completed over the next four years – got the green light from the Council’s Planning Sub-Committee to replace underused garages and car parking spaces in Daubeney Road on the Clapton Park estate. More than half will be for social rent and the rest for shared ownership.
And as part of the changes, land close by in Redwald Road has been earmarked to create a permanent community garden and growing area. This will replace the temporary growing facility residents had established at the car park while plans for the site were developed.
The plans for the new Council homes were developed in collaboration with residents and locally-based architects Al-Jawad Pike throughout this year, creating designs that complement neighbouring homes. A new pedestrian and cycle through route will be created, with improved landscaping for residents to enjoy.
With a clear need for genuinely affordable housing in Clapton and across Hackney, I’m delighted that we have been able to bring forward plans with local councillors and the community to ensure this land is put to its best possible use – to help deliver new Council homes for people that need them most.
But we know that the temporary growing area on the site has become valued by local people, which is why we’ve ensured that it can now continue as a permanent facility nearby. Our plans show that Hackney is building not just homes, but communities too.
Construction of the new homes is expected to begin early next year and finish in 2020. Discussions with local residents about how the new community garden will look will begin this summer.
The six social rent homes will be prioritised for families from the Council’s housing waiting list, with first preference for those in housing need living close to Daubeney Road. The five shared ownership homes will offer a more affordable route into home ownership for people living and working in Hackney, including the thousands of private renters struggling to afford a deposit for a first home.
Nearly 13,000 families are waiting for a Council home in Hackney, 3,000 of whom are homeless and living in temporary accommodation like hostels and B&Bs. With house prices and private rents also increasing, Hackney Council is building nearly 2,000 new homes over the next four years, with more than half for social rent and shared ownership, alongside three new schools and a new leisure centre (subject to planning permission).
The Council’s in-house Hackney Sales team will be marketing the homes for shared ownership. To register your interest, visit the Hackney Sales website.