Westminster City Council has given consent for 750 new homes to be built in the south of Westminster as part of its Ebury Bridge estate development. At least 342 of these will be affordable housing.
Westminster is home to some of the most sought-after property in the world and so faces particular challenges providing affordable housing across all parts of the city but is determined to deliver this.
The decision to approve plans, taken by the council’s cabinet on Monday 9.07.2018, makes the Pimlico estate home to the largest single delivery of new council homes in the heart of London for over half a century.
In total, the scheme will more than double the number of homes on the estate.
This includes:
Replacing the existing 198 social rented homes with new high quality social rented homes
Plus at least an additional 144 affordable, family-sized homes (consisting of around 87 social rented and 57 intermediate homes).
The ambition is to create a range of affordable housing that addresses all needs from accessibility to overcrowding and which offers low cost opportunities to rent or buy across the estate.
The council will be working further on these options over the next two months.
Cllr Nickie Aiken, Leader of Westminster City Council, commented: “We have been clear that providing high quality, genuinely affordable housing across the city is our top priority and have committed to building 1,850 new affordable homes by 2023. The Ebury Bridge estate project is a huge step in the right direction proving that we can and will build affordable homes in Westminster.
“It’s vital that we create and preserve our mixed neighbourhoods so I am delighted that many of the new affordable homes on this estate will be at intermediate rent available to those on moderate incomes, the nurses, teachers, firefighters and others who keep Westminster running smoothly.”
Cllr Rachael Robathan, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration added: “The Ebury Bridge estate will remain a council housing estate. We wanted to get this right, which is why we spent months listening and talking to the community, knocking on doors to find out what people wanted. I want to thank our Ebury Bridge residents —over 80% of you—who participated in an extensive and transparent consultation process. A right of return is guaranteed for all secure council tenants and lease holders. By putting our residents at the heart of shaping the renewal proposals, we are confident that we will build sustainable homes that are not just for life, but for living.”