London: Greenwich completes 452 council homes at Kidbrooke, billed as Britain's largest new council housing scheme

The Royal Borough of Greenwich celebrated on 30 October the completion of Kidbrooke Park Road: 452 one- to four-bedroom homes, all for social rent, for local people on the council's housing register. The council describes it as the country's largest single entirely new-build council housing development.

What the scheme includes

Designed by HTA and built by Durkan, the scheme is part of the Greenwich Builds programme, which is delivering 1,750 new council homes across Royal Greenwich; the council says more than 1,000 have now been delivered, with hundreds more under construction. Alongside the homes, the development includes a nursery, retail space, play areas and landscaping, with 200 newly planted trees, according to the council. It has won a Housing Design Award and the New London Architecture Mayor's Prize, and is in the running for a Royal Institute of British Architects prize.

Why it matters beyond Greenwich

Tom Copley, London's deputy mayor for housing, said London is leading the way nationally on council home building, with half of all new council homes in England built in the capital last year, and more new council homes underway than at any time since the 1970s. For families on the waiting list, 452 social-rent homes mean 452 secure roofs; for other councils, the scheme is held up as proof that large-scale, high-quality council housing can still be delivered.

This report is compiled from verified sources and is not a verbatim translation of the originals.