London,
28
February
2019
|
16:21
Europe/London

Council unveils new council homes and Mayor gives his blessing

Camden Council today accepted formal handover of 141 new homes from its contractor Wates Residential – and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, popped in to look round.

The first phase of the Council’s regeneration of the Abbey area, on the junction of Abbey Road and Belsize Road, is comprised of 66 new council homes, funded by 75 homes for sale or private rent, all built through Camden’s Community Investment Programme. The new family homes stand in place of what was once a dilapidated carpark.

Future phases in the development will deliver new community and health centres, junction improvements and a further 100 homes, half of which will be social or affordable rent. This work can now be brought forward thanks to funding from the Government and a £3.6m grant from the Mayor of London.

In October 2018, Camden Council secured £30 million of funding from the Mayor of London – which will be used to build 300 new council homes.

Councillor Danny Beales, Cabinet Member for Investing in Communities
These new council homes are going to Camden residents who need them most, giving them more space and a much better standard of living. These are high-quality council homes, including wheelchair-accessible flats, in which residents can make their home for years to come.

“Today the Mayor has seen we are a borough that builds. We can be trusted to deliver high-quality council housing and play our part in tackling the housing crisis. We have more housing schemes in the planning that with extra funding could get off the ground, so we appeal to the Government to recognise what we’re doing and back us to deliver more council homes, at a faster rate.
Councillor Danny Beales, Cabinet Member for Investing in Communities

The Abbey development is managed by a Tenant Management Organisation (TMO), Abbey Road Housing Co-operative. Residents have played an integral role in the development to date, providing suggestions and working closely with the council to ensure the new homes meet local people's needs. Eleven households have already moved into their new homes. 

The Mayor of London and Council Leader, Councillor Georgia Gould, spoke to residents at both Abbey and Agar Grove Estate as part of the visit, going to flats at both sites.

Across Camden, the Council has built 862 homes to date through its Community Investment Programme, with 120 currently under construction and a further 1,250 homes with planning approval ready to build.