Published: Monday 4 October 2021
Work is underway to build 20 new homes for local residents on another of the Council’s Phase One New Homes Programme sites at Hewer Street in North Kensington.
The exciting news follows the first spade going into the ground at nearby Kensal Road in July, another of the Phase One sites, where we are building 37 new homes - 27 of which are for social rent with the remaining 10 offered at intermediate rent.
Hewer Street is located opposite St Charles Hospital and the proposals will see 10 of the 20 homes offered at intermediate rent available to key workers as well as the retention of the key facades on Hewer Street and Exmoor Street to respect the heritage and character of the original buildings on site.
Construction is being undertaken by Wilmott Dixon and it is expected that people will be able to move into the new homes on Hewer Street before the end of 2022. All the new homes within the project will remain in Council ownership.
Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Grenfell, Housing and Social Investment, joined staff from Willmott Dixon at Hewer Street on Thursday 30 September to mark progress of building work on the development.
Cllr Taylor-Smith said:
“We have a severe housing shortage in our borough and our New Homes Programme is going some way to plugging that gap. I am committed to doing everything I can to help deliver good-quality, affordable homes for our residents.
“It’s exciting to see work underway on two sites now and the reality of key workers in particular getting their own homes in the borough becoming a step nearer."
He added:
“Hewer Street is a particularly special site due to the heritage of the existing building which was constructed in the 1800s and reflects the architecture of North Kensington.
“The scheme will retain key elevations as well as restoring the former chapel building as the centrepiece within the new courtyard to maintain the character of the area.”
These projects form part of the first phase of the Council’s New Homes Delivery Programme to deliver 600 new homes, at least half at social rent – the first homes the Council has built since 2017.