Lambeth (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Lambeth Council’s New Homes Programme hits a milestone, delivering 2,000+ new homes, including 600 affordable units, in a bid to tackle the housing crisis.
This is fulfilling the council’s goal to address the housing problem and expedite the delivery of affordable housing.
In March 2024, the first year of the New Homes Programme (NHP), the council’s intentions were initially announced. On March 17, the Cabinet approved a revised report that updated the program’s progress and outlined the next steps for carrying out this work.
The prior goal of constructing at least 500 additional affordable dwellings on council-owned land by 2030 has been raised to a minimum of 600.
The council’s commitment to maximizing housing growth and affordable housing by developers throughout the borough beyond council-owned property is outlined in Lambeth’s Local Plan in addition to this deliverable.
In order to help the government’s growth ambition to construct more new houses, Lambeth has had over 10,500 homes authorized through planning.
Cllr Danny Adilypour, Deputy Leader of the Council and Member for Sustainable Growth and New Homes said:
“We have made real progress over the last year in speeding up the delivery of new affordable housing in Lambeth.
This is vital work being carried out in challenging times, but in the face of a national housing crisis which is heavily impacting people in Lambeth we are determined to do all we can to make a difference for the 35,000 people on our council housing waiting list and the 4,800 homeless households in often substandard temporary accommodation.
We are aligned with the Government’s house building agenda and have now agreed as a council to increase our affordable house building target for council owned land to a minimum of 600 by 2030 as part of this commitment.”
Among the New Homes Program’s highlights over the last 12 months are:
- Bringing more than 100 new homes—90% of which are at social rent levels—to practical completion on three construction sites that are now underway.
- Choosing a development partner to build up to 400 houses on Somerleyton Road, with over half of those being affordable, pending planning approval.
- Depending on planning, a delivery partner will be chosen to deliver up to 250 homes on Brixton Station Road, with at least 40% of those homes being affordable.
- Starting the process of finding a development partner to complete Westbury Estate’s revitalization, which could result in the construction of 400–700 new residences.
- Creating the New dwellings Six (NH6) portfolio and starting the development partner procurement process, which could result in the delivery of up to 450 dwellings.
- Proposing a planned development agreement for Streatham’s Leigham Court Road parking lot.
The council will continue to build on this momentum over the course of the next 12 months by looking for a development partner to build up to 450 new homes on the Westbury Estate and six development-ready sites in some of Lambeth’s most desirable neighborhoods.
Additionally, the council will find new housing delivery options, advance plans for new homes on former school sites, and assist ongoing development projects on council-owned land as they go through the planning and procurement stages of construction.
With plans to construct around 5,000 homes, more than 2,000 of which will be affordable, Lambeth’s housing company, Homes for Lambeth, is also playing a significant role. Providing homes at council-level rent is a part of this.
Despite its advancements, Lambeth has had difficulties, such as changes to its housing goals. The goal is still to maximize the delivery of affordable housing while managing the logistical and budgetary challenges.
The New Homes Programme will also drive a new workstream that will specifically increase the provision of temporary accommodation in order to address one of the biggest difficulties facing Local Government.
Cllr Adilypour said:
“We are speeding up house building in the borough of all types, socially rented, intermediate, temporary accommodation, and private – to tackle the housing crisis.
But we also remain committed to strong communication and engagement with our communities as this work progresses, so these initiatives work for all our residents.”
As part of their estate renewal initiative, the Council has participated in 80 events and activities with 1,300 people in the first year of the NHP. they will continue to place a high priority on effective communication and involvement in the program’s second year.
The first of their resident charters, which is based on the lessons learnt from the work done thus far, lays out the expectations for resident engagement in the upcoming delivery phases at Westbury. This crucial feedback loop with residents will inform and affect the council’s activities.
Further, a new framework for all schemes lays out a set of commitments for working cooperatively and successfully with residents affected by any council-led development close to their homes, ensuring that all council delivery partners offer the same degree of engagement and communication.
What are the key highlights of Lambeth’s new homes program?
The Lambeth council has increased its goal from 500 to at least 600 additional affordable dwellings on council-owned land by 2030. This is a component of a larger initiative to solve Lambeth’s sizable housing waiting list and help the government’s housing plan.
The program has delivered more than 100 new dwellings, 90% of which are at social rent levels, on three locations in the last year. Furthermore, development partners have been chosen for significant projects such as Brixton Station Road and Somerleyton Road.
For important sites, such as the Westbury Estate and other areas that are ready for development, the council will keep looking for development partners. Hundreds of new dwellings could be delivered by these projects, helping to reach the overall goal.