Lambeth council has struck a £250 million partnership with Vistry Group to deliver more than 500 homes across six council-owned sites in the borough, with at least half of them designated as affordable and 70% of that affordable housing reserved for social rent. The first project at Denby Court in Kennington is slated to deliver 141 homes, with construction expected to begin in 2026. Denby Court, a 1970s estate adjacent to Lambeth Walk park, is planned for demolition as part of the council’s broader housing programme, with a replacement scheme previously approved in 2022 by Stockwool Architects that envisioned blocks of up to 12 storeys. Stitch, a London-based studio of architects and masterplanners, has been collaborating with Vistry on the proposals and said it was “delighted to have supported Vistry” and looked forward to working on the projects. Speaking to BD Online, Lambeth’s deputy leader and cabinet member for sustainable growth and new homes, Councillor Danny Adilypour, cautioned that after nearly 15 years of underfunding for social housing, the council faced a housing crisis but remained “determined to turn the tide.” The partnership also represents a notable step for Stitch, which earlier this year joined Broadway Malyan to scale its regeneration and infill work across London. According to the BD Online report, Daniel King, London divisional chair at Vistry Group, framed the deal as a chance to deliver high-quality, affordable homes with a strong social rent focus for local residents.

Beyond the Denby Court project, Lambeth’s New Homes Programme is designed to accelerate affordable housing on council-owned land, with a clear emphasis on social rent. The council page outlining the New Homes Programme states a target of at least 600 additional affordable homes by 2030 and sets four core aims: maximise affordable housing delivery, accelerate delivery, prioritise access to new homes, and pursue ownership where feasible, alongside a commitment to resident engagement to create well-designed places to live. The programme updates for 2024–25 and 2025–26 underline Lambeth’s intent to substantially increase social-rent housing as part of its Growth Plan, which also seeks to deliver up to 10,000 new homes borough-wide. The lead article places the NH6 effort within this broader framework as a continuation of Lambeth’s housing strategy to boost supply in a borough facing ongoing pressures on affordable housing and public finances.

The procurement for New Homes 6 has been launched with a gross development value in the region of £250 million and the potential to deliver up to 450 mixed-tenure homes across sites including Denby Court, Larkhall Lane, Knight’s Walk Phase 2, Jonathan & Orsett Street, 30 Wootton Street, and Trinity Rise. Industry observers note a substantial portion of the affordable housing is targeted for social rent, with about 150 affordable homes anticipated to be started by 2030 and a policy aim of at least 35% affordability across the portfolio, 70% of which would be social rent. The project’s scale sits in the context of past planning discussions around Denby Court, where residents and local media in 2022 raised concerns about daylight and the impact of tall towers near Lambeth Walk Green; the conversation has since shifted to the broader NH6 strategy and regeneration aims. Other industry coverage highlights that NH6 has obtained planning permission for five sites, with pre-application activity on the remaining site, and that the six-site portfolio carries a projected gross development value in the region of £400 million, underscoring the programme’s ambition as a flagship of Lambeth’s housing plan. The stitching together of Stitch’s design voice with Broadway Malyan’s scale, and the broader procurement narrative, reflects a maturing approach to delivering community-centred housing at scale in London.

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Source Panel

    1. Publication lead: Stitch Architects to support £250m housing partnership between Lambeth Council and Vistry (BD Online)
    1. Lambeth Council housing delivery: New Homes (New Homes Programme page)
    1. Estates Gazette: Lambeth launches 250m development procurement for New Homes 6
    1. Lambeth official: Denby Court (Homes for Lambeth)
    1. London News Online: Doing in the Lambeth Walk — Denby Court planning history and resident reaction (2022)
    1. Broadway Malyan: Stitch joins Broadway Malyan (February 2025)
    1. Opportunity London: Lambeth New Homes 6 profile (planning and delivery context)

Source: Noah Wire Services