Croydon's new council homes impress Mayor

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson was in Croydon this week to see for himself the first new council housing to be built in the borough for more than 20 years.

The Mayor was greeted by council tenants Erica and John McCartney who showed him around the new five bedroom home they are due to move into this week. Previously, the family of seven had been living in a three bedroom flat.

The property is one of 13 large, family homes recently constructed by the council in West Croydon. A further 19 are due to be completed in Fieldway by the end of the month.

The properties are part of the council’s new house-building programme to help ease overcrowding and reduce tenant waiting lists.

The Mayor, also in the borough to launch his draft London Housing Design Guide at the London Housing Strategy Conference at the Fairfield Halls, wants to reward successful housing authorities like Croydon by giving them a greater say over the new homes that are built in their area.

In 2008, Croydon became one of the first London boroughs to begin building a new generation of publicly-funded housing, and is committed to providing new, affordable homes every year.

By the end of this year construction is due to get underway on a further 71 homes, which form the second phase of the council’s programme.

All new properties are being built on underused council sites to the highest sustainable standards*, having solar panels for hot water and wind turbines to generate power.

Installing energy-saving technologies will help reduce fuel bills and carbon dioxide production, setting an example for the kind of green building the council wants to encourage on a wider scale.

Councillor Dudley Mead, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: “I’m delighted that the Mayor has come to see our excellent new council houses. Croydon is leading the way with these homes and setting new standards in affordable house building and sustainable design.

“We believe that the quickest and most effective way of addressing the affordable housing shortage in the borough is through investment in council housing. Croydon has an excellent reputation for looking after its tenants and we welcome a new role and funding opportunities for strong local authorities to be able to construct good quality, eco-friendly, council homes to tackle overcrowding.”

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “I am honoured to be able to personally hand over the keys for these new homes in Sumner Gardens. In a city with a shortage of family homes that experiences huge challenges with overcrowding, it is fantastic that Croydon has been able to deliver a significant number of family homes with money from the Greater London Authority. This development demonstrates exactly what can be achieved if boroughs, like Croydon, are empowered, as it is often the borough council that best know the housing needs of their residents and how to deliver on those needs.”