Ealing Council has taken a significant step to address the borough’s pressing housing crisis by securing a deal to purchase 180 new homes within Berkeley Homes’ Green Quarter development in Southall. These homes, comprising one- to three-bedroom apartments, are scheduled for completion and allocation to council tenants by early autumn 2026. By acquiring these properties directly from the developer, the council aims to provide genuinely affordable housing options, with 96 units offered at social rent and 84 at London Living Rent. Both rent levels are notably below private rental market rates, with council rents typically costing less than a quarter of comparable privately rented homes.

This strategic move represents a shift for Ealing Council, which is now focusing more decisively on bulk purchases of newly built homes to meet the urgent demand for affordable housing. The funding for this initiative combines borrowing with a grant from the Greater London Authority’s Affordable Homes Programme for the period 2021-2026. The council has expressed intentions to pursue similar agreements in the future to further alleviate housing shortages.

The Green Quarter itself is a flagship redevelopment of the former Southall Gasworks site, transforming an 88-acre area into a vibrant, nature-rich neighbourhood. The entire scheme is planned to ultimately deliver 3,750 mixed-tenure homes, nearly a quarter of which—931—are designated as affordable. Alongside residential buildings, the development includes extensive public open spaces covering 48% of the site, with parks, wetlands, and amenities such as a primary school, health centre, community hub, and nursery. The project emphasises sustainability with features like electric vehicle charging points, solar panels, and energy-efficient appliances.

The council’s intervention in this project comes amid growing housing pressures in the borough. Ealing faces one of the country’s least affordable housing markets, with close to 8,000 households on the waiting list for council homes and a steady need to provide temporary accommodation for about 3,000 families at any given time. The cost of meeting this demand is substantial, making the provision of affordable, long-term council housing a vital priority.

Council leaders have described the deal as a bold response to the crisis. Council leader Peter Mason emphasised the significance of creating safe, modern homes that local residents can afford, calling the move “a necessary step to ensure local people have access to homes they can truly afford.” This sentiment was echoed by Councillor Shital Manro, cabinet member for good growth and new homes, who highlighted how the council’s decisive action and responsiveness to evolving market conditions yielded a positive outcome for some of the most vulnerable residents in the borough.

This acquisition aligns with Ealing Council’s broader ambition to deliver 2,500 genuinely affordable homes by 2022, a target they are on track to meet. The council has been bolstered by substantial financial backing from the Greater London Authority, receiving over £100 million to support its housebuilding and acquisition programmes over the next five years. These funds are enabling the construction and letting of over 1,000 affordable homes, demonstrating the council’s sustained commitment to addressing housing affordability.

Meanwhile, Berkeley Homes continues to advance the Green Quarter development, with Southern Housing Group recently marking a topping-out ceremony for Rosemary House, part of the third phase of the project. Plans are underway to expand the development further, with proposals for at least 3,000 additional homes through new phases, underscoring the scale of the regeneration effort that combines new housing, community facilities, and green spaces to create a connected, sustainable neighbourhood in Southall.

This large-scale regeneration represents a holistic approach to housing and community development, striving not only to provide affordable homes but also to tackle environmental challenges. The site’s history as a gasworks necessitated extensive remediation to ensure safety and quality of life for future residents. The integration of green infrastructure and community amenities aims to foster a thriving, inclusive neighbourhood for years to come.

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Source: Noah Wire Services