Dozens of new council homes in Shoreditch moved a step closer yesterday after building work on a landmark Hackney Council regeneration project reached a key milestone.
Construction at the latest phase in the redevelopment of the Colville Estate — which will bring more than 100 new homes — reached its highest point and was marked at a ceremony led by local residents, Mayor of Hackney Philip Glanville, and Higgins Construction.
70 of the new homes will be for social rent, offering a high-quality, council home to existing residents whose decades-old properties were in disrepair.
The development also includes six homes for shared ownership and 40 properties for outright sale to help pay for the new social housing in the absence of any government funding.
In total, the regeneration of the Colville Estate, which started in 2010, will see 935 new homes and community facilities built to replace ageing buildings uneconomical to repair — with around half for social rent and shared ownership. The first phase of the regeneration saw 41 new council homes for social rent built at Bridport House, on Bridport Place.
Mayor Glanville said: “It’s fantastic to celebrate the progress of our regeneration of the Colville Estate with the local residents who were so closely involved in designing their new homes, and I look forward to the first families moving in next year.
“With nearly 13,000 families on our housing waiting list and 3,000 of them in temporary accommodation like hostels and B&Bs, I’m proud that at more than 30 sites Hackney is building the new genuinely affordable council housing our borough needs.”
Higgins Construction are building the new homes, which are expected to be completed next year.
Steve Leakey, Managing Director for Higgins Construction, added: “Today marks an important milestone for our work on the Colville Estate and we are delighted that the Mayor and local residents could join us in marking this occasion.
“Construction is more than just bricks and mortar. It is about creating a thriving community in which people can live, work, learn and play and which they are proud to be part of. Since starting work on the Colville Estate, we have worked closely with local people to ensure they are kept up to date with progress and also able to access employment opportunities open to them.
“To date, we have employed 33 local people onsite, taken on five apprentices and progressed 11 trainees into sustainable employment. We have also provided 23 people over the age of 16 with work experience.”
The development is part of the Council’s Estate Regeneration Programme, which is building nearly 3,000 homes across the borough during the next 10 years, with more than half for social rent and shared ownership.
Under the programme, any affected residents have a guaranteed right to return to a new home at a social rent.
Pictured above are Mayor Glanville and Steve Leakey, MD of Higgins Construction, at the topping out of council homes on Colville Estate.
