Residents seek planning approval for new council homes in the shadow of the Shard #SE1

Leathermarket CBS has submitted its proposal for 27 new council-rent homes on the Kipling Estate for planning approval by Southwark Council, with the aim to have the new homes ready to move in to by Summer 2017 once all the approvals are in place.

View of Kipling Garages development from Leathermarket Gardens

The view of the proposed Kipling Garages development from Leathermarket Gardens

The homes will be in a five and seven storey block along Weston Street, SE1, on Leathermarket JMB’s Kipling Estate, in a site currently used as garages and less than 300 metres from the Shard.

Residents have led the plans for the development through a series of meetings over the last year and a half, starting from a blank sheet of paper and working with professional support with local architects Bell Phillips. The people who will move into the properties when they are built have been particularly involved in the process.

Southwark Council’s cabinet approved the partnership with Leathermarket CBS to bring forward the development in September 2014 and are currently finalising details for the funding for the scheme as part of the Council’s ambitious commitment to build 11,000 new council homes over the next 30 years. Once the approvals go through, Leathermarket CBS is working with regeneration partners igloo to have the homes ready to move in to by Summer 2017.

At the final consultation meeting residents expressed their delight with the proposals giving feedback including:

  • “I love everything about this beautiful building. Proud to be involved. I can’t wait for the building to be completed.”
  • “I think the final design will enhance the estate and also feel sure that people living in the new homes will have a very good quality environment. I hope this scheme is approved and inspires other developments in my community.”
  • “It looks beautiful. Lovely brickwork. Great use of limited space.”

 

Local resident John Paul Maytum MBE, Chair of Leathermarket CBS, said:

“We’ve pioneered a completely different way of working, where residents have been in control of the process from day one, starting from a completely blank sheet of paper – rather than the usual way of ‘consulting’ at the end, where nothing can be changed.

“Genuinely affordable homes at council rents are a real need for so many families in this area. I’ve been delighted that we’ve been able to work with the people who will move into these homes right from the very start of this process to make sure the plans will work for them.

“By involving residents, with help from the experts, we believe we’ve put together a really high-quality design which should provide some of the finest council homes in inner London, while getting the most out of the money available. These really should be the best in the Borough!

“Through all this we’ve delighted with the support and encouragement we’ve had from senior councillors for this way of working. I hope this will be just the first of many similar projects that we can deliver in partnership with Southwark Council.”

 

Leathermarket CBS and Southwark Council are working on a second scheme at the former Joseph Lancaster nursery on Deverell Street, SE1.

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