After building a total of zero homes over the past 10 years, the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames appears to be doing something about it.
Having received the status of a housing zone back in March, along with the second-highest allocation of funds, totalling £46.2m, plans have now emerged for nearly 2,000 homes.
Kingston is undertaking consultation for the redevelopment of the Cambridge Road Estate, to the east of the town centre, which currently comprises 830 homes.
Some 14 options have been examined by the council, which has now whittled them down to a shortlist of just three. The three options are essentially a debate on whether to knock down the existing tower blocks on the estate or to refurbish them.
The council commits to “keeping or re-providing the same number of homes for council tenants with a secure tenancy”, as well as “providing opportunities for leaseholders and freeholders living on the estate to move into one of the new homes”.
The three options:
Option A:
• Add 100 new low-cost home ownership homes
• Refurbish four tower blocks
• Build an additional 1,081 homes
• Provide 1,913 homes in total
Option B:
• Add 100 new low-cost home ownership homes
• Refurbish two tower blocks, demolishing the other two
• Build an additional 1,143 homes
• Provide 1,975 homes in total
Option C:
• Add 100 new low-cost home ownership homes
• Demolish all four tower blocks
• Build an additional 1,148 homes
• Provide 1,980 homes in total
Do you agree? Interact on twitter using @paulwellman_eg
