Plans to build more than 3,000 new homes, regenerating the Woodberry Down housing estate in Hackney and securing hundreds of construction jobs, have been approved by Mayor of London Boris Johnson.
The Mayor gave the green light for the next seven phases of the Woodberry Down ‘Masterplan’, giving developer Berkeley Homes the go-ahead to demolish the estate’s remaining blocks and replace them with an additional 3,242 new dwellings and 10,921 square metres of non residential floor space.
Berkeley Homes began to regenerate the estate in 2005 and has already built 862 new homes, with a further 180 currently under construction.
In total the Masterplan will deliver 4,284 properties, 2,214 of which will be affordable (60% affordable rent and 40% intermediate) – a net gain of 776 properties. Genesis Housing Association will manage the affordable homes that are part of the scheme.
A range of new facilities will also be built including three new public parks, improvements to transport infrastructure, a community centre and library, a new Academy, an extended primary school, a new children's centre and retail and commercial space.
Assistant director of planning at the mayor’s office Stewart Murray said: “This is one of the biggest estate renewal schemes in the capital and will provide a boost to Hackney by delivering much needed new homes and infrastructure.”
Parts of the Woodberry Down Estate date back to the 1940s and have been recognised as in need of improvement for many years.
Hackney Council approved the project in February 2014. 20% of Berkeley Homes' construction workforce is from the local area, with 19 apprentices from the borough working on site.
The current Woodberry Estate has never quite lived up to expectations in terms of becoming a high-quality community space. Well let us see how this new project pans out…