Today the King’s speech, introducing new government plans, focused on planning reforms and infrastructure. In response, Councillor Helen Dennis, cabinet member for new homes, has announced at tonight’s council assembly, a raft of measures to bolster housing of all kinds in Southwark, and the infrastructure designed to support them.
Southwark has a record of housing delivery to be proud of, with 3,000 new council homes delivered or on site, more council housing completions than any other London borough last year. And in addition to our own council homes, our overall record on social rent is strong too. This is achieved through robust planning policies, including an insistence on affordable housing being delivered alongside student accommodation.
Councillor Dennis said; “Whenever I visit new council homes, like those on Nunhead Lane which we saw last week, I am always struck by the potential of decent housing to transform lives. This is why we do it.”
The council is intent that new developments create as much community benefit as possible. Without development, the Castle Leisure Centre could never have been built, as with the new Una Marson library and the new Health Centre – also on the Aylesbury and opening soon. Further, the new alms-houses on Southwark Park Road, the investment into Bramcote Park and Leyton Square off the Old Kent Road, the money for Southwark Pensioners’ Centre, Surrey Docks Farm and Marlborough Sports Gardens – all of these came from great partnership working.
But the development process has its challenges. Regulatory uncertainty and build-cost inflation have resulted in affordable housing starts plummeting by 90% across London last year, and Southwark has not been immune from this. A year ago, the incredibly hard decision to pause a number of new homes schemes had to be taken.
However, Southwark Council has a viable action plan for delivering new homes which takes account of these challenges and which allows it to continue moving forward whilst also protecting the Housing Revenue Account for investment in existing stock. This will mean working in a different way, in partnership, to bring forward the council homes people on the waiting list desperately need. The proposals for the next phase of the council’s new homes programme will be presented at cabinet with the site list published in September.
As well as those waiting for council homes, the council is supporting others caught in this housing crisis, unable to access social housing but equally unable to buy a home, with private landlords upping their rent, often forcing families out of the borough. The average monthly rent in Southwark is now £2,212, a 7.5% increase on last year. The council will actively deliver options across all housing tenures, private, social, affordable, and housing for older people and those who need to live and work in Southwark.
The action plan brings forward new Keyworker Homes and a Community Land Trust, both of which are housing models that are tied to local average salaries, forever, so they will always be affordable to those in Southwark. The proposals will deliver 100 new homes for nurses, social care staff, teachers and other keyworkers who serve our borough.
Housing for older people, in a borough with an ageing population and a diverse set of needs, is a must. Appleby Blue is the first of the new planned alms-houses to open in our borough. The council’s own schemes are also creating homes for older residents, including new flexi-care housing on the Aylesbury Estate and the Tustin. There will be a new Nursing Home in Nunhead & Queen’s Road on the Asylum Road site, with formal plans being brought forward in the autumn.
These initiatives are supported by strengthened transport and community infrastructure including the Bakerloo Line Upgrade and Extension and working with the Mayor on plans to deliver the Bakerloop, an express bus that will be achieved in good part through S106 contributions. The Peckham Rye station upgrade will also come to fruition, making this busy interchange accessible to all, supported by a £1m community infrastructure levy boost.
Being able to get a GP appointment is vital for residents and the new Health Centre on the Aylesbury will be opening this year to help with that. Work continues on plans for the delivery of additional health centres at Canada Water and Elephant & Castle.
As a response to the Southwark Land Commission, the council will launching the Southwark Land Partnership, bringing landowners across the borough together to focus on delivering what our residents need.
Cllr Dennis says, “The community continues to be at the heart of all that we do – with homes and housing support for everyone, of all ages and needs. We cannot stand still on this, despite the challenges, so we will approach the housing crisis with proactive solutions and innovation. I hope to establish further Community Review Panels, bringing new and more diverse voices into the planning process. Overall, we know the importance of making Southwark a home, not just in housing terms, but in having the right transport networks, health care, parks and leisure spaces for people and their families to put down roots in the borough.”