A further 175 new affordable homes could be delivered in Greenwich as part of a new planning application at Kidbrooke Village following a review of the existing consent. Discussions between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Kidbrooke Village developer, Berkeley Homes have also resulted in a reduction in the height of the proposed landmark building.
Over the past five years, Kidbrooke Village's development partners, the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Berkeley Homes plus the Mayor of London, have worked together with the local community to transform the former Ferrier Estate into a modern and sustainable village for London. In September 2014, Berkeley Homes submitted a planning application to amend the consented masterplan.
In recent months the Royal Borough of Greenwich has strongly encouraged Berkeley Homes to review the height of the proposed landmark building that forms part of the Village Centre. Initially designed at 31 storeys, following consultation this was reduced to 25 storeys. In recent days, Berkeley Homes, working with the architect for the building Studio Egret West, has redesigned the landmark building, reducing its height by four storeys to 21 while still retaining a sense of elegance and proportion.
Karl Whiteman, Divisional Managing Director at Berkeley Homes (East Thames), said:
"We have spent many hours working through the detail of the proposals to ensure our long term vision to create an inclusive, sustainable place for all, is aligned. This is crucial as Berkeley Homes will be working with its partners, the current and future community at Kidbrooke Village for many years to come.
"Our new proposals for Kidbrooke Village will create thousands of new jobs, deliver high-quality outdoor space and secure improvements to transport connections for existing and future residents. We continue to invest in the future of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and look forward to adding further amenities to Kidbrooke Village as the proposals are delivered."
With a further 175 new affordable homes, Kidbrooke Village will have delivered a total of 1,700 affordable homes to the borough when it is complete. These include a mix of homes available for social rent and shared ownership spread throughout the development. 550 of the affordable homes have already been delivered.
These applications provide certainty for OneSpace's continued involvement at Kidbrooke Village for the next 5 years. Currently based at Kidbrooke Village, the OneSpace Community Centre provides a fantastic facility to local residents offering a range of activities and clubs.
The updated proposals for phases 3, 5 and 6 of Kidbrooke Village, submitted in September 2014, are due to be considered by the Royal Borough of Greenwich's Planning Board. They comprise an additional 763 homes plus further amenities for the community, including:
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a range of local services including a crèche, bar, coffee shops and restaurants plus a permanent local supermarket
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a commitment to buses serving the village centre, including guaranteed funding towards a new route to North Greenwich
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an additional 23 acres of new parkland, a 2.35 acre nature conservation area and the planting of an additional 1,000 mature trees
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healthcare facilities, including doctors' surgeries
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further children's play areas and a central community hub for residents and the wider community in Kidbrooke
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a new, larger Wingfield Primary School, now with three forms, delivered six years earlier than previously planned.
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12,400 employment opportunities have already been created by the Kidbrooke Village development and over 18,000 jobs are set to be created for local people, if the final
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phases are approved by the Royal Borough of Greenwich. A third of these jobs will be in construction.
When complete, Kidbrooke Village will comprise 4,800 new homes in 35 hectares of beautifully landscaped green open space, shops and squares, schools and children's play areas. The homes include a mix of tenures, both private and affordable, in a variety of sizes for everyone - young and old, professionals and families.