Thousands of social homes to be built across Southwark

Southwark Council has unveiled ambitious plans to build 11,000 new social homes in the borough.

The homes will be built over the next 30 years, and is expected to plug the housing shortfall caused by the high demand for affordable homes.

Work has already begun on the Willow Walk site, developed by Balfour Beatty, which is expected to produce 75 new, affordable homes.

The council said that 21 of those properties will be for social rent, and will comprise of eight one-bedroom homes, eight two-beds and five three-bed.

These homes will include private gardens, bicycle storage, communal courtyards and balconies.

In addition, changes will be made to the children's play area and a new street will be built through the site between Willow Walk and Setchell Road.

There will also be 54 short-stay properties built on the same site. These flats will include centralised communal kitchen/dining area with bedrooms either side of the kitchen.

The homes will also adhere to the BREEAM environmental standard.

Commenting on the developments, councillor Fiona Colley, cabinet member for regeneration, said that the scheme will create quality accommodation for the borough's most vulnerable residents.

She added that the initiative will also boost employment in the area.

"Southwark Council is a leading authority in regeneration and this is a tangible, proactive step towards fulfilling the promises made to the people of this borough – to ensure they see the full benefits and opportunities of regeneration with new homes, jobs and a better living environment.

"It is exciting to see the first significant numbers of council homes being built to be managed by Southwark Council for many years," she explained.

However, this is not the only scheme planned for Southwark, and planning permission has already been granted for five other sites across the borough, including Willow Walk, Cator Street, Gatebeck, Nunhead and Southdown.

Published 15th April, 2014

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