Hackney,
24
April
2020
|
09:20
Europe/London

Hundreds of new genuinely affordable homes for Woodberry Down

Nearly 600 new homes will be built in the next phase of the award-winning regeneration of the Woodberry Down Estate alongside stunning new open spaces, enhanced green infrastructure and many more trees, after plans were approved.

New proposals for the third phase of the project, which has already seen nearly 2,000 modern, high-quality new homes built since 2009, will also nearly double the number of homes for social rent from original plans for the phase.

The proposals were approved by the Council’s Planning Committee last night, following more than a year of consultation with local people – including dozens of workshops, exhibitions and open days.

Around 42% of the 584 new homes will be genuinely affordable, with 117 homes for social rent and 126 for shared ownership, as well as 341 homes for outright sale to help pay for them.

Existing secure Council tenants whose existing, poor-quality homes are set for demolition under the programme are guaranteed the right to return to one of the new homes at the same type of social rent. Hundreds of tenants have already moved into a new home over the last 11 years, with the latest plans enabling more residents to move.

The project will also include the planting of 175 new trees, to help replace the loss of a small number of existing trees, as well as the equivalent of 29 tennis courts of new open spaces, including a new fully public park.

Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney
Our partnership at Woodberry Down is delivering one of Europe’s biggest single-site regeneration project, providing new, modern, genuinely affordable homes for existing tenants and fantastic new facilities and open spaces for everyone. 

I’m proud that through genuine engagement with local people and our partners, we’re improved our plans by not only improving the green spaces and number of trees, but also continuing to deliver even more of the social housing our borough so desperately needs.
Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney

Existing plans for the third phase would have seen only 64 homes for social rent built, as well as fewer trees and less cycle parking and open space.

Once complete, the 25-year project will see more than 5,500 new homes built, replacing around 2,000 existing homes that are uneconomical to repair and at the end of their life.

As well as new homes, the project has brought new public community and commercial facilities to the area, including the Redmond Community Centre, the opening of the stunning Woodberry Wetlands to the public for the first time in nearly 200 years, new play facilities at Spring Park, and the new Skinners’ Academy secondary school. The Edge youth centre and Woodberry Down Primary School have both been refurbished.

Construction could start next year, with the first residents moving into new homes in 2024.