Rydon officially starts work on 88 new homes in Lewisham

The Mayor of Lewisham, Sir Steve Bullock, signalled the start of work for Rydon to build 88 new homes, 62 of which will be for older people, in Lewisham. The homes are being developed by housing association One Housing in partnership with The Merchant Taylor’s Boone’s Charity.

The development will include 62 one and two bedroom homes for people over 57 years – 32 of which will be returned to The Merchant Taylor’s Boone’s Charity as almshouses for their beneficiaries – with a further 26 homes for open market sale. One Housing will use any profits from private sales to develop new affordable homes across London and the South East.

Mayor of Lewisham, Steve Bullock, said:

“High quality affordable housing is extremely important to Lewisham Council. We are delighted to see this site be redeveloped to include new affordable and senior living homes for people in this Borough. We’re pleased to partner with One Housing and Merchant Taylors’ to help this development become a reality.”

Group Director of Development at One Housing, Alan Williams, said:

“In London there is a housing shortage for not only affordable housing but for good quality older peoples’ housing too. It is schemes like this that prove we’re doing everything we can to tackle the housing crisis head on.

Together with our partners, Merchant Taylors’ Boone’s Charity and Lewisham Council, we will be delivering 114 new homes – 62 of which will be for older people. We’re delighted to be building beautiful homes where people want to live and look forward to our continued partnership working in Lewisham.”

Mr Duncan Eggar, Chairman of Trustees of The Merchant Taylors’ Boone’s Charity, said:

“This project, in terms of its use of assets, is a ground-breaker not only for us, but also for the almshouse movement.

It has allowed us to use our land imaginatively to support our charitable objectives and provide modern accommodation for our beneficiaries, while securing the long term future of the charity.

“I’m sure it will be a model viewed with great interest and be used to help deliver new homes in other communities across the country through positive partnerships between charitable trusts and the private sector.”

Contracts Manager at Rydon, Lee Preston, said:

“Across the South of England, Rydon is working in partnership with housing providers to deliver well considered, high quality housing options in local communities using local supply chain partners. We are delighted to mark the ground-breaking stage of this important project with Merchant Taylors, One Housing and the borough of Lewisham to bring modern, affordable and independent living for older people.“

Previously home to the Christopher Boone’s Almshouses, built in 1963, the new homes will make better use of this large site and offer urgently needed appropriate housing for older residents in Lewisham.

The design of this high specification scheme encircles a central courtyard containing a circular covered walkway and features large private balconies. Self-contained facilities include a communal lounge and summer room, as well as outdoor landscaped garden spaces for residents.

The development is ideally located in close proximity to a range of shops, transport and community amenities.

Rydon is building each property to be environmentally friendly to include underfloor heating and solar panels, providing sustainable heating and hot water through a communal heating system, together with well insulated building fabric.

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