The council has appointed London CLT to lead the delivery of new affordable homes on New James Court Estate in Scylla Road, SE15. Pending legal and planning approval, the project will deliver a low density development designed to be affordable for local residents.
Since 2016, Southwark Council has partnered with Peckham Citizens, an alliance of local community organisations, this led to the establishment of a community steering group to explore ways of bringing more affordable housing to the area.
The site on Scylla Road was identified as part of the Southwark Land Commissioning and aligned with the council’s broader commitment to deliver affordable housing. The development will serve as a pilot project, advancing plans for genuinely affordable homes within the borough.
The site currently contains 27 garages, which will be demolished and replaced with a low-density development in which all units will be available for purchase, at prices based on the average income of the local area – ensuring that they are genuinely affordable for local people in perpetuity. A planning application is expected by 2026.
London CLT is a community-led organisation which works with local people to create genuinely and permanently affordable homes and community spaces. This aligns with our Southwark 2030 strategy to increase the number of genuinely affordable homes in the borough, based on the council’s definition of affordability, which is stricter than the national standard.
London CLT said: “We are delighted to share that we have been successful in our bid to develop the Scylla Road site in Southwark.
“A huge thank you to members of the community steering group and local residents who were central to the proposal we submitted. We are excited to progress to the next stage; securing funding and taking the project through to planning submission.”
Cllr Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development, said: “We want good-quality, safe and truly affordable housing to be available to everyone in Southwark.
“This project will provide new affordable homes while ensuring that residents will be involved in the process throughout, working hand-in-hand with London CLT to deliver the affordable homes that the community needs. This innovative approach is just one of the many methods we’re using to get thousands of new affordable homes built in Southwark.”
Southwark and Peckham Citizens said: “We are so pleased that London CLT has been appointed the successful developer of 12 new genuinely affordable homes on Scylla Road.
“As an alliance of local residents and community organisations, we saw the potential in transforming what was a disused garage site into a home for people and families with roots in Southwark.
"We are delighted that Southwark Council bought into that vision and saw it as an opportunity to work with people in the borough to shape what their area will look like. The Council’s decision to appoint London CLT is the next step towards truly community-led development.
“We look forward to continuing to work with London CLT, Southwark Council and residents across the borough to create beautiful, permanent and affordable homes for our community”.
Read more about Southwark’s programme of affordable housing delivery.