Camden completes the build of 69 council owned homes and 56 private homes at the Agar Grove Estate as part of the biggest Passivhaus scheme in the country
Camden is halfway through completion of the Agar Grove development as 125 more homes are built, including a mix of council owned homes and new homes for private sale.
The sale of the private homes allows the council to fund the build of more council homes for families who are in desperate need and on Camden’s waiting list, for example those living in overcrowded conditions.
To date, 220 homes have been built at the Agar Grove Estate, and when complete the redevelopment will include 496 new homes in total.
A government grant of £6.89 million also enabled the council to acquire 29 more homes for refugees which were originally up for private sale.
These affordable homes are bigger, modern and more energy efficient. Receiving Passivhaus certification, these new homes use significantly less energy to heat, lowering carbon emissions and helping to tackle fuel poverty, with residents in the new builds saving on average up to 70% on their energy bills.
Agar Grove is the largest Passivhaus scheme in the country and the biggest project so far under construction in Camden’s Community Investment Programme - a 15-year programme to invest money in council homes, schools and new community facilities across the borough.
The completion of this phase is a great milestone in our ambitious Agar Grove redevelopment. Not only are we providing high-quality homes for those who need it most, but are delivering homes which by far exceed all current environmental standards required by new developments. With funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, we’ve been able to keep 29 homes, previously intended for sale on the private market.
We are determined to build more much needed council homes in the borough. Developments like this are key to addressing our housing waiting list and ensuring that people can continue to live in Camden, in high quality and energy-efficient homes.
Architects Hawkins\Brown, Mae, and Grant Associates completed the third phase of the redevelopment of the Agar Grove Estate.
Phil Catcheside, Partner, Hawkins\Brown said: “This scheme is a great example of how good resident and community consultation can add value to a project. The brief and principle of development were established in open dialogue with all residents, to ensure as many people as possible had their opinions heard. Our scheme not only creates high quality, low energy homes with good space standards and high environmental performance, but also stitches together a series of green spaces from Agar Grove, as well as connecting the streets and buildings into their context, refurbishing the popular Lulworth tower, with improved sustainability and identity, and providing a safe family neighbourhood.”
Alex Ely, Founding Partner, Mae said: “Completion of this third phase really helps consolidate the Agar Grove regeneration and deliver on our original vision. Through our collaborative approach we’ve created a rich and diverse piece of city that starts to stitch the new development into the wider area and opens up new connections. We’ve created an attractive, pedestrian priority and safe family neighbourhood to high environmental standards that will lift hundreds of households out of fuel poverty and create warm, sustainable homes for the long-term.”
To find out more about the Agar Grove redevelopment, head to: Agar Grove - CIP - Camden Council