Ealing Council is now well over a third of the way towards its ambitious target of delivering at least 2,500 new genuinely affordable homes for the borough by March 2022. 

Work to build over 1,000 new homes for social let at genuinely affordable rates by either the council or housing associations has now been started or completed. That means the council is 40% of the way towards its 2,500 homes target.

Affordable for local people on low incomes

Over 90% of the new homes will be available as social lets either by the council or housing associations, priced well within the means of local people on low incomes. The other 10% will be let at London Living Rent – a genuinely affordable rent level that allow tenants to save a deposit to buy their own home.

Ealing is one of only six councils in the UK to build any homes last year. The ramping up of its building programme means it will directly develop more new homes for social rent in the four-year period to April 2022 than it did in the rest of the century combined.

The remainder of the 2,500 home target will be delivered through the council’s planning system – which will ensure that a percentage of private developments are genuinely affordable.

Three of the new developments which have helped the council reach the 1,000 homes milestone so far are:   

Sherwood Close, Ealing

West Ealing’s Sherwood Close estate is being demolished and rebuilt with a total of 319 modern, comfortable homes. The regeneration scheme will take place over three phases, with phase one now completed and occupied.

The homes are being built in partnership with housing association Clarion Housing. Under the deal, Clarion are paying all costs for the homes using land that formerly belonged to the council. The new homes and the land will be owned by Clarion Housing, with the council getting 100% of the nominations to the first lets on the estate.

The 71 homes in phase one – a mix of one, two, three and four-beds – include a new home for all council tenants from the demolished Sherwood Close blocks.

West End Gardens, Northolt

This £3.2 million scheme near the shops and facilities of Yeading Lane has delivered new 15 homes over two phases. The five houses of phase one – a mixture of two, three and four-beds – were completed and let in June 2018.

Phase two is due to be completed shortly and includes one three-bed and nine two-bed flats, including one adapted for a wheelchair user.  

All of the homes will be let by the council. The new buildings have replaced four council flats which used to occupy the site.

By buying back and incorporating a piece of neighbouring land we have maximised the use of the space to accommodate more families. All tenants who lived at the four old council flats at the site have been rehoused at the new development.  

Newcastle Court, Northolt

This development hosts 27 homes available for either social let, shared ownership or private sale, all built to the same exacting standard regardless of tenure.

The five four-bed houses and 22 flats at the site are conveniently located close to Northolt underground station and the A40. The council will retain all of the houses and eight of the flats to let to council tenants, with income from the sale of the other units – 10 of which are available as shared ownership – offsetting construction costs.   

The new homes have been complemented with a children’s play area and parking spaces. The blocks of flats are a mix of three and four storeys.   

“60% cheaper than private rentals”

Councillor Peter Mason, the council’s cabinet member for housing, planning and transformation, said: “London’s housing crisis is deepening all time, making it harder and harder for many local people to find a home within their means. Just 10% of private rentals in our borough are now affordable for people on low to moderate incomes.

“Our council homes are around 60% cheaper than private rentals, making them the only realistic option for many families. And we’re well on our way to hitting our target of creating the next generation of socially rented homes for Ealing – as part of the most ambitious affordable housing programme in London.”