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Future of London

Project Tracker 18th May 2011

Blackwall Reach

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Introductions

  Jonathan Kay Development Manager London Borough of Brent

  Paul McGarry Regeneration Manager London Borough of Merton

  Gabriella Richard Transport for London

  Dan Bridge Homes & Communities Agency

Future of London Leaders Blackwall Reach Project Tracker

+ Blackwall Reach Tower Hamlets & Wider Context

+ Blackwall Reach Project Boundary Robin Hood Gardens and Blackwall Tunnel Approach

+ Blackwall Reach Urban Context

+Blackwall Reach Project

  Robin Hood Gardens Estate, Poplar

  Estate Regeneration to provide c1621 new homes (533 social rent, 160 other affordable) 50% affordable by hab. room Strong element of family housing

  Backed by a development framework

  Intensification to generate value for HCA / LBTH Increasing investment in Decent Homes.

+Robin Hood Gardens - today

  7 Ha. Predominantly public owned land (2Ha open space)

  Built in 1972 – ‘Streets in the Sky’ concept

  250 mainly social rented housing;

  dilapidated condition (maintenance / heating / concrete fabric)

  over crowding

+ Robin Hood Gardens Looking towards Canary Wharf

+Robin Hood Gardens – the plan

  Estate Regeneration to provide c1621 new homes Social Infrastructure and S106   School (extra form(s))

  Aspen Way (NS crossings) to improve connectivity to DLR

  Community Centre

  Retail offering / employment outputs

  (land swap for Mosque) to assist phasing and fund new mosque/community facility

Project Value £300m +land (400m)

+ Robin Hood Gardens The Estate today Utopian in th1972 Good internal space standards, communal heating, open space LBTH £20m decent homes – unachievable, therefore redevelop private mix Existing buildings and form limit development capacity of the overall area

+Robin Hood Gardens - issues

  The Local Community Engagement Programme

  Issues (decent homes, overcrowding, building decay, disconnected to the neighbourhood – Poplar High Street and Canary Wharf)

  Tenancy conditions, breaking away through regen. Sense of community and impact on cohesion.

  English Heritage Listing vs Redevelopment immunity granted till 2014

  Regeneration Options (DHS; Tunnel build-over; retention or dispersion of open space requirements – neither viable; settled on private led, phased approach exploiting opportunity for higher densities in strategic areas)

+ Massing Model London Borough of Tower Hamlets & HCA Development Framework

+Blackwall Reach : the vision

  1621 new homes

  Partnership with LBTH, HCA (land owners) & Preferred Bidder Swan-Countryside Homes

  Tenure Mix (rebalancing with Private homes)

  Timeline – 10 year project build out

  Phased approach (overage clause for HCA & LBTH)

  Using development values (gain) rather than grant. catch the next development / market peak.

+ Development Framework London Borough of Tower Hamlets & HCA

+ Blackwall Reach The Vision

+The Project so far

  Community Engagement Programme

  Development Framework 2008

  Procurement Process OEJU 2009

  Development Submissions in 2010 (competitive dialogue)

  Preferred Bidder selected February 2011

  Outline Planning Permission Summer 2011 Detailed for phases 1a (detailed – land ready) then 1b (land assembly – LBTH Cabinet Approval )

  Decant Strategy / lease buyouts underway (backed CPO)

+Project Tracking May 2011

  34 home owners remaining / lease-freehold

  c200 tenants remaining

  Development Agreement: consultation strategy by end May

  Floor Meetings – block by block, invite / explain progress, encourage involvement (resident insight group)

  Planning exhibitions (pre-app early June)

+Rent Policy

  Going forward:

  Re-housed back into RHG, target rents

  Rehoused elsewhere – dependent on RSL or LB / home they go into

  New residents in RHG – rents undecided

  Then opens up to LBTH waiting list (may be 80% rents in later phases) Subject to the development agreements

  Direct single decant for remaining residents

+Next Steps

  Outline and full (phased) Planning Application (GLA , LBTH, LTCDC)

  Decant

  Leaseholder buyouts commenced (reactivated Feb following approvals) Tenant Decant / Common housing register (March). Bids for decant have commenced (CPO writing to tenants, then homeowners)

  Start on Site phase 1 early 2012

  Funding (early phases, nil grant. But land and overage clause by HCA/LBTH to recoup value or supplement grant in later phases)

  Rent Model Assumptions (right to return, social rent, new affordable rent, especially for families)

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Blackwall Reach Project Tracker