Neighbours celebrate moving in to new council homes

Neighbours have been getting to know each other at a special welcome event at 70 new council homes recently built in the Old Kent Road area.

A ‘street party’ was held last Friday (19 July) at the new blocks with around 60 of the new residents and their families coming down to the landscaped communal area.

The Sumner Road development, which is adjacent to the Old Kent Road AAP area, includes 70 new council homes.

Tenants have been moving in since the spring, with several of them moving from cramped or over-crowded conditions, like new resident Claire Fearom who said:

“I was living round the corner in a one-bed. Me and my partner have four kids, so it was too small. We moved to Sumner Road in May, into a three-bed, and I’m so happy, so over the moon.

“There’s loads of space for me and my children. It means everything. I feel complete, I don’t need to worry, and I know my kids are going to grow up here and they’re very happy.”

Southwark Council is committed to the most ambitious council house building programme in London and is aiming to deliver 11,000 new council homes by 2043.

20,000 new homes are set to be built in the Old Kent Road area alone; at least 35 per cent of which will be affordable homes, including 5,000 at social rent.

Deputy Mayor Cllr Barrie Hargrove, who cut the ribbon to welcome tenants to their new homes, was joined by other councillors including the Cabinet Member for New Homes, Cllr Leo Pollak.

Cllr Pollak said: “Southwark has the largest council house building programme in London and we have already delivered over 600 new council homes in the last six years.

“But we’re doing more than just building homes, we want to help new communities develop and get to know their new neighbours and friends, which is why we’ve been organising these welcome events. For new residents to meet and share their stories and experiences we can help our new communities get off to the right start.”

Stuart Gibbons, managing director for Lovell London said “It was heart-warming for our team to see so many happy residents and hear their stories. Lovell aims to change lives and create opportunities, and this event certainly demonstrates that we have succeeded in doing so here at Sumner Road.”