Demolition begins on first phase of 2,170-home Cambridge Road Estate regeneration
Countryside Partnerships and Kingston Council have begun demolition works on their regeneration of the Cambridge Road Estate in Kingston, as the first phase of the 2,170-home project gets underway.
Phase 1A will deliver the first building in the joint venture partnership’s regeneration of the estate and will create 44 new homes, of which 42 will be for council rent and two for shared equity/shared ownership. These one, two, three and four-bedroom homes will be surrounded by new landscaping and play space. With demolition of Phase 1A now underway, construction is then expected to begin in the new year.
Cllr Emily Davey, Housing Portfolio Holder for Housing, Kingston Council, said:
“This is a significant milestone for our borough, bringing to life our commitments to deliver more of the safe, secure and sustainable homes local people deserve.
“We have approximately 3,700 households on our housing register and over 900 currently living in temporary accommodation. Embarking on the redevelopment of the Cambridge Road Estate will help transform so many people’s lives now, and in the future, for the better.
“Delivering on our priorities to mitigate against climate change and increase the number of homes at council rent are high on our list of priorities as a council. This redevelopment will contribute heavily to achieving these, but it goes even further. Demolition kickstarts the new jobs and apprenticeship opportunities the redevelopment brings to the borough, helping to benefit existing estate residents and the wider community.”
Daniel King, Managing Director, West London & Thames Valley, Countryside Partnerships, commented:
"The start of demolition is a moment of pride for our partnership with Kingston Council, as we begin to deliver on the regeneration masterplan for the local community. This is the culmination of years of consultation and engagement with residents and stakeholders, and so we are excited to get construction underway next year on the new high-quality homes, community facilities and green spaces.”
Construction of new homes in Phases 1B and 1C will follow and, once complete, Phase 1 will deliver 452 homes in total, with 150 of these for council rent and 15 for shared equity/shared ownership. A new 1,250 sq m community centre, 290 sq m of office floorspace and 395 sq m of retail/commercial space will also be delivered, in addition to new public open spaces incorporating 2,289 sq m of play space.
The wider regeneration masterplan will deliver 2,170 homes in total, in a mix of flats, maisonettes and houses of various sizes, with 45% affordable (on a habitable room basis) comprising 767 council rented and 174 intermediate tenure homes. The new neighbourhood will include a minimum of an additional 114 council homes.
The masterplan was approved in a successful ballot of residents of the Cambridge Road Estate in March 2020, with an overwhelming majority in favour of the plans to regenerate their neighbourhood.