Major regeneration investment to accelerate 8,000 new homes in Newham and Southwark

Communities in the London boroughs of Newham and Southwark are to benefit from the acceleration of thousands of new homes, across three major brownfield regeneration projects, through a pioneering partnership.

Reflecting the strong need in London for affordable homes, 40 per cent of the new homes on two of the sites, which have planning permission, are to be genuinely affordable for local people. The first homes should be ready in 2027 alongside retail and leisure facilities.

Significant new infrastructure will be built including utilities, green landscaping, on-site highways, bridges and other transport links, helping to support the Greater London Authority (GLA)’s Good Growth agenda and the government’s commitment to support local communities and public services through well-designed homes in thriving places.

All three highly complex projects, which require significant upfront capital investment and have faced economic challenges, are being catalysed by the three organisations coming together to accelerate progress and commit long-term funding and expertise to deliver fantastic social and economic outcomes for Londoners.

Homes England, the Government’s housing and regeneration agency, will provide Berkeley with access to a £125m loan to undertake infrastructure works across the sites, with further funding support from the GLA to drive forward delivery.

The three projects are:

• Twelvetrees Park, Newham. The 26-acre site is being transformed into a mixed-use neighbourhood including close to 4,000 homes, of which 40 per cent will be affordable, a secondary school, park, playground and 177,000 square feet of commercial space. The funding will support the second of four phases to regenerate the former depot and coach park.

• Bermondsey Place, Southwark. Nearly 1,400 homes, 40 per cent of which will be affordable, created across a 5.4-acre former light industrial site, alongside a network of public parks, playgrounds, commercial spaces, footpaths and a one-acre civic square. Funding will bring together several parcels of owned land to ignite progress.

• Beckton Riverside, Newham. Up to 2,800 private and affordable homes, subject to planning consents, will be created under the first phase of delivery across a larger site of 28 acres. Following planning consent, the funding will expedite vital infrastructure works on the former gasworks.

Homes England Chief Executive, Peter Denton, said:

Partnerships between organisations, alongside an unwavering will to drive positive change for communities, are essential if we are to create well-designed homes in well-designed, regenerated places for people to live, work and grow.

By pooling expertise and resource through collaborative partnerships we can break down the barriers that are stopping brownfield sites like these from coming back to life with a new, sustainable purpose, ultimately creating better places, more affordable places, where all of a community can live and thrive.

The Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development, Tom Copley said:

I’m delighted that 8000 new homes are being delivered in Newham and Southwark, with 40 per cent of these set to be genuinely affordable on the two sites with planning permission.

This partnership between the GLA, Berkeley and Homes England marks another important step forward in our mission to utilise Brownfield land to deliver more high-quality, affordable new homes in the capital. The new public green spaces and fantastic transport links will have huge benefits for future residents and the wider community – helping to build a better, fairer, more prosperous London for all.

Rob Perrins, Chief Executive, Berkeley Group, said:

We are delighted to be working with the GLA, Homes England and the London Boroughs of Newham and Southwark to bring forward much needed private and affordable homes on brownfield land. This is an important step towards accelerating delivery on these complex sites and we’re very proud to be part of this innovative partnership.

Notes to editors

• Homes England is the government’s homes and regeneration agency. We drive the creation of more high-quality homes and thriving places so that everyone – no matter their background – has a place to live and thrive. We work in partnership with thousands  of public and private bodies including local authorities, home builders, developers, affordable housing providers, commercial real estate companies  and financial institutions to make this happen.
• Berkeley Group builds homes and neighbourhoods across London, Birmingham and the South of England. We specialise in long-term brownfield regeneration - reviving underused land to create unique, sustainable and nature-rich places where communities thrive and people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy a great quality of life. Our homes and neighbourhoods are individually designed in close consultation with local councils and communities. We believe this is the only way to create places of lasting character, benefit and beauty. We are a sustainable and responsible business, with industry leading commitments to climate action, nature recovery and social value. Find out more at www.berkeleygroup.co.uk/about-us