Blackhorse View now provides 350 new homes, with 50 per cent affordable housing, as well as improvements for the local community such as a new cycle hub and commercial spaces
Transport for London (TfL), through its wholly-owned commercial property company, has announced the completion of Blackhorse View, the first of its joint venture housing developments with Barratt London and London and Quadrant (L&Q).
The car-free development, construction of which began in 2019, has delivered 350 new homes opposite Blackhorse Road Tube and Rail station, with 50 per cent affordable housing. This marks another step forward in TfL's ambition to deliver 20,000 new homes across the capital.
Built on the 1.8 acre site and designed by RMA Architects, the 350 new homes span across six buildings and are a mixture of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom properties, providing options for all types of households. The development has also delivered a new public cycle hub on Forest Road, close to the protected cycle route, along with 650 cycle parking spaces for residents. The transformation of the nearby Blackhorse Road junction also makes it even easier to travel more sustainably, while the development itself also includes a new pedestrian route through the site, alongside the planting of more than forty new trees.
Blackhorse View also benefits the local community and economy by providing more than 17,500 sq. ft of flexible commercial floorspace. Tesco has already started trading in one of the units this summer, meaning residents don't have to go far for their groceries, with more businesses to follow including the potential for new cafes, local retailers and shared workspace. This will further support the Blackhorse Lane Creative Enterprise Zone.
The first residents began moving in in summer 2021, with the majority of the homes now having been sold. Around three-quarters of the homes sold - through shared ownership, Help to Buy and private sale - have been to first time buyers. There are still opportunities for affordable housing that are available for those looking to move to the area.
This is one of Barratt London's most popular developments, due to the area's local amenities, the transport on the doorstep, local coffee shops and restaurants, as well as the beautiful wetlands nearby. The development will have also generated income for TfL's commercial property company, which can then be re-invested into the transport network. This will help to minimise TfL's reliance on fares income and support further development of much-needed new homes across the capital.
The affordable housing delivered by the development is managed by leading housing association, L&Q. Sixty per cent of the affordable homes have been made available through shared ownership, offering those looking to get their first step on the property ladder the opportunity to part-buy and part-rent a property. The other 40 per cent are available at London Affordable Rent, the level of which is set by the Mayor of London. This is substantially below open market rents, helping to provide low-cost rented homes to support low-income households.
As well as creating new homes for London, the scheme has also helped create new jobs and apprenticeship opportunities throughout the life of the project. More than a quarter of the workforce came from the borough of Waltham Forest. The project also supported apprentices working on the scheme, as well as those who have taken part in TfL's Construction Skills programme.
Through the creation of a shadow board, local students from Sir George Monoux College and Heathcote School and Science College have also had the opportunity to learn more about how the joint venture works and how the development was taken forward. One of these students, Grace O'Connor, was so inspired by her time on the shadow board that she has now joined TfL as a Commercial Real Estate apprentice, forming part of the property sector's next generation of talent.
Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, said: “Building new homes on TfL and mayoral land is a top priority for the Mayor. I congratulate TfL, Barratt London and L&Q for completing this development, which delivers 50 per cent affordable housing, including much needed homes at social rent levels. In addition, the new cycle hub, pedestrian route and the planting of 40 trees have helped improve the green space and active travel options around the area, benefitting not just the new residents but those who live and work in the community. Working together like this is just one of the ways we can build a better and fairer London for everyone.”
Rachel Wood, Senior Property Development Manager at TfL, said: “We're incredibly excited to announce the completion of our first joint venture housing development. Working with Barratt London and L&Q, as well as Waltham Forest Council, we are proud to have delivered 350 new homes - which the capital urgently needs - as well as improvements for the local community.
“This marks a significant milestone in our wider development programme, which will see us use our land to deliver thousands of new homes, while raising vital revenue that will reduce TfL's reliance on fares income. We're thrilled to be continuing our partnership with Barratt London, tackling the housing shortage together, both at Wembley Park Gardens - with work having started on more than 450 new homes - and Acton.”
Stephen Thompson, Managing Director of Barratt East London, said: “It's great to be able to celebrate the completion of Blackhorse View. Looking back, launching a brand new development during the pandemic was an extremely tall task. However, Walthamstow is a hugely popular area particularly with first time buyers. We found that buyers were drawn to the area's local amenities, the transport on the doorstep, local coffee shops and restaurants as well as the beautiful wetlands just a short stroll away. This combination of a trending location and an exciting new development proved for a popular and fast selling site.
"This fantastic development is a shining example of what can be delivered through close collaboration, and we look forward to providing more, much-needed new homes across the capital through our flourishing partnership with TfL.”
Claire Brenlund, Sales and Marketing Director at L&Q, said: “We are very proud to have been able to provide these much needed affordable homes at Blackhorse View. Getting your first foot on the property ladder is so difficult these days and, at L&Q we believe that everyone deserves a quality home that provides them with the opportunity to live a better life. We have been working together with partners at TfL and Barratt London to make this a reality for so many residents in Waltham Forest and we are very happy to be celebrating this milestone now.”
Grace Williams, Waltham Forest Council's leader, said: “Waltham Forest is committed to working with developers to build more affordable housing and we're proud to have worked closely in partnership with TfL and Barratt London at every stage of the process over the past few years to realise and deliver the potential of Blackhorse View.
“The project has created more than 160 affordable homes, and lots of job opportunities for young residents of Waltham Forest, like Grace, and has also brought vital improvements to public spaces in the local area to benefit the local community such as new pedestrian and cycle links to Walthamstow Wetlands.
“So, well done TfL, Barratt London and London and Quadrant for making this happen, and a very warm welcome to our newest residents.”
Grace O'Connor, Commercial Real Estate apprentice at TfL, said: “It was really exciting to be part of the shadow board. I got to visit the construction site in progress, learn more about the project on my doorstep as well as meet and present to the team who have actually worked on the development itself. These experiences inspired me to apply for my apprenticeship at TfL, where I am now actually getting the chance to work within the property industry, as I realised I wanted to get hands-on experience, while also studying for a degree.”
With work now complete on the new homes at Blackhorse View, TfL and Barratt London have now started on site on their second project together, adjacent to Wembley Park Tube station. This 1.6 acre development will deliver 454 new homes, including 40 per cent affordable housing, a retail unit, and new operational space for TfL. It will also make the public realm more appealing through additional planting, widening of the pavement alongside the development - making it easier to walk -- and providing play space for children in the community. Construction is expected to take around four and a half years, with the first people moving into these new homes in 2024.
Earlier this year, it was announced that TfL's wholly owned commercial property company had appointed Barratt London as its joint venture partner for the delivery of its site by Bollo Lane in Acton as well as a range of other potential sites in west London, subject to contract completion. The site in Bollo Lane received the go-ahead in January 2021 by Ealing Council at planning committee to deliver up to 900 new homes in Acton - with 50 per cent affordable housing - plus a range of benefits for the local community.
The scheme has been designed to reflect the site's surroundings and heritage, and provide new commercial space, which can be used by local businesses. Alongside this, the proposal opens up public space, with green areas, play spaces, new footpaths and pavements as well as facilities to make walking and cycling safer and easier. The development will be delivered in three phases with the first phase comprising 195 build to rent homes, the second phase delivering around 450 homes and a third phase delivering around 250 homes
Additional Information
- TfL announced in October 2017 that it had selected Barratt London, working with L&Q, to be its first joint venture partner, working together to deliver the new homes opposite Blackhorse Road station. Following engagement with the local community and stakeholders, the proposals were given the go-ahead by Waltham Forest Council at planning committee in December 2018 before then receiving full planning permission in February 2019. Work on the site swiftly followed in the summer of the same year.
- TfL and Waltham Forest Council have invested millions of pounds in the Enjoy Waltham Forest scheme in recent years, which has transformed travel by bike and on foot in the borough. There are now more than 50km of protected cycle lanes and 195 improved pedestrian crossings right across the borough - making journeys in the area by bike and on foot even safer and easier.
- The Blackhorse View development is effectively car-free, with the exception of Blue Badge parking spaces for residents. The site was previously used as a public car park comprising of 280 spaces, run by National Car Parks on behalf of TfL.
- The development has proved popular with first time buyers. Out of a total of 293 purchasable properties, 108 homes were sold to first time buyers as part of the shared ownership element of the scheme, 62 were sold to first time buyers using the Help-to-Buy scheme and 50 were sold to first time buyers (separate to these schemes). This means that around 75 per cent of the purchasable properties were sold to first time buyers.
- There are ongoing discussions with potential businesses regarding the commercial spaces that the development will provide.
- TfL is taking forward its development activity through a commercial property company that is wholly owned by TfL, but financed independently of the transport network. The programme will see new commercial office developments and thousands of high-quality new homes, including affordable housing, built on its land across the capital as well as investment in its current commercial asset base. TfL currently has more than 3,350 homes where work has started on site and more than 800 already completed.
- About Barratt London: Barratt London is a market-leading residential developer, with over 40 years' experience in the Capital, delivering up to 2,000 units each year. Barratt London is committed to providing an unbeatable customer experience and developing exceptional homes for all Londoners. We have an extensive portfolio of residential developments and partnerships delivering homes across the Capital for all Londoners, from state-of-the-art penthouses in the City of London to complex, mixed-use regeneration schemes in Hendon. Barratt London is part of Barratt Developments PLC, the UK's most recommended housebuilder.
- About Barratt Developments: Barratt Developments is proud to be Britain's biggest housebuilder by volume, and the UK's number one housebuilder in both build quality and customer service. Over the past seven years Barratt Group has increased its housing output by 40% - building more of the homes the country needs. Barratt is committed to building quality homes and this year received more NHBC Pride in the Job Quality awards than any other housebuilder and was awarded 5 stars by the HBF for customer satisfaction for the 14th year in a row. For more information, visit: www.barrattdevelopmentsplc.co.uk
- About L&Q: L&Q is one of the UK's leading housing associations and developers. Social purpose is central to everything they do. As a not-for-profit organisation, all the money they make is reinvested into helping house those in greatest need. The safety of residents and colleagues is paramount. They are part of the government's Early Adopters Group, tasked with understanding Dame Judith Hackitt's post-Grenfell recommendations, and spearheading a vision to create an industry that puts safety first. They have committed £250m to date, but expect that investment could be as high as £450m over the lifetime of their building safety programme. The 250,000 residents who make their homes with them are L&Q's priority. Residents are at the heart of L&Q, and their governance structures ensure they have a powerful voice throughout the business. Their charitable Foundation supports the communities that their residents create. The Foundation has supported thousands of their vulnerable customers through the pandemic and awarded grants to good causes that promote aspiration, confidence and opportunity. L&Q Living provides care and support services to people with a wide range of needs. This includes older people, people with learning difficulties and mental health needs, and people affected by homelessness. For further information please visit www.lqgroup.org.uk