Green light for Newham Council's Custom House affordable housing
Above: CGI of affordable homes planned for Custom House in Newham, London (Courtesy Adam Khan Architects)
The next phase of the Custom House resident masterplan has been given the green light by Newham Council's Strategic Development Committee.
Custom House is one of three Newham council-led estate regeneration schemes being taking forward, alongside the Affordable Homes for Newham(AHfN) programme and delivery from its wholly-owned housing company, Populo Living.
The masterplan planning approval for this phase of Custom House provides outline consent to deliver 629 mixed-tenure genuinely affordable homes along with new community facilities including a new health hub, nursery, bus stand and cycling links.
This is the second planning application to receive approval this year and follows the success of the sub-phase 1 planning application which was approved in January 2023 to accelerate the delivery of 95 genuinely affordable homes which are now under construction. Together, these approvals across the overarching masterplan provide 50% genuinely affordable homes for Newham residents.
This latest success keeps the momentum going on the commitment to build new homes which residents can benefit from as quickly as possible and comes only 10 months after residents voted yes to the Custom House regeneration plans last December. As well as investment in new homes the plans will support the wider transformation of Custom House and through unlocking opportunities for local residents.
Alongside the 95 new affordable homes already under construction, existing shops have also been brought back into use to invigorate the High Street and provide an improved offer for local residents as the works progress.
Following the planning approval, Newham Council is working to conclude the procurement of a main works contractor to deliver the next sub-phase, which includes new homes and a health hub and is anticipated to be submitted for reserved matters planning application in summer 2024.