West Kentish Town Estate set for £565M investment as Cabinet asked to agree redevelopment masterplan
The council’s Cabinet are to be asked to agree a masterplan and strategy for delivering a £565million investment for the West Kentish Town Estate that will build larger, modern homes for residents and at least 276 council homes.
The masterplan has been developed together with residents and follows an estate ballot held in March 2020 that saw 93% of residents vote in favour of new homes, streets, and open spaces.
84.9% of eligible residents voted in the ballot, which was the first estate ballot to be held in Camden.
The council’s Cabinet will be asked to agree plans to build an estimated 885 new homes over eight phases including at least 276 larger, modern council homes and 78 homes available at Camden Living rent.
The first phase of construction is expected to begin in late 2023 and the first two phases will deliver 218 new homes, of which 81 will be ringfenced for families on the estate - allowing them to make one direct move into their new home.
Residents of the West Kentish Town Estate voted overwhelmingly in favour of regeneration for their estate – 93% voted yes in the resident ballot and since then we have made significant progress, working with residents from across the estate to produce this masterplan and a strategy for building the new homes that are desperately needed for their community.
We know that a good development hinges on a genuine understanding our of our communities, which is why it is the experiences and expectation of residents on the estate that have shaped this project from day one. Together with residents we have created plans to build; larger homes that will lift families out of overcrowding and give them the space they need to grow; energy-efficient homes that will help them to tackle rising bills and to lower their carbon emissions; and a modern estate that will meet the highest standards of design, use green technologies to help us to combat climate change, and provide residents with more green spaces and safer streets.
This will be another big step forward for this project and for the families and children on the estate who desperately need new homes. I look forward to continuing working closely with residents to deliver a project together that more than meets their expectations.”
The estate proposals, which have been developed in collaboration with residents since 2015, seek to demolish the aging 1960s blocks - replacing damp, cramped properties with larger, modern, energy efficient homes that will save tenants money on their heating bills and provide the space needed for previously overcrowded families to grow and thrive.
To capture the breadth of local voices, Council officers - who have been based locally since 2018 - have established a strong community presence, offering friendly spaces where residents could share their ideas at drop-ins, workshops and exhibitions, and helping to draw up a “residents’ brief”.
The “residents’ brief” sets out local expectations for new homes and streets, with a list of key design priorities from the people who know their community best, residents themselves.
The role residents have had in this process has shaped key aspects of the estate masterplan including delivering:
- A minimum of 40% affordable homes
- A phased construction process that will reduce disruption to residents and prioritise single, direct moves for as many residents as possible
- New commercial units and investment to enhance Queen’s Crescent high street
- A focus on high-quality design and a landscape-led approach that will see existing trees retained where possible, communal green spaces added, and safe, green routes created through the estate
The new homes will be built to the high environmental standards that the council has set in its’ Climate Change Action Plan. Green features will be developed as the estate designs are progressed and will likely include:
- Air source heat pumps that have much lower carbon emissions than traditional heating systems
- Solar panels on building rooftops
- Biodiverse, green rooftops
- Urban drainage systems built into the estate’s green landscaping
- Dust, air quality, and noise monitoring used throughout the demolition and construction phases
The West Kentish Town Estate redevelopment is being delivered by Camden’s innovative Community Investment Programme, which has built 991 new homes and provided new council homes to over 1,000 residents, including 453 children, many of whom previously lived in overcrowded homes.
The programme is also building some of the most energy efficient homes in the UK – helping residents cut their fuel bills and carbon emissions – and has built three new school buildings, two community centres and refurbished two homeless hostels