Lewisham council has chosen Higgins as the preferred contractor to lead the delivery of 102 new affordable homes at Ladywell Park Gardens development, the old leisure centre site behind Place/Ladywell.
The homes to be built in four blocks will involve 47 social rent homes for families on the housing waiting list and 55 shared ownership properties.
Eleven of the homes will be wheelchair accessible.
Preliminary work has already started on site with the project expected to be completed by spring 2028.
The development, a key part of the council’s Building for Lewisham programme which aims to address the borough’s urgent needs for affordable housing, will include a new public garden and children’s play area.
So far 652 homes have been completed or are in the process of completion under the programme and further 182 are being prepared for planning permission, says the council.
The council said a key focus of the development will be sustainability with green living roofs on the properties, sustainable drainage systems and secure bicycle storage.
The council said it was working closely with Higgins to ensure the continued operation of the Place/Ladywell which is expected to be used as the site contractor’s ioffices.
The Lewisham Donation Hub,the council’s mayoral charity, will stay in the building until July 2026 and will then be helped to find suitable premises.
Councillor James-J Walsh, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration and Planning said every home in Ladywell Park Garden will “be genuinely affordable and built to a high standard.”
He said Higgins, a family run business formed in 1961, shared the council’s values and its commitment “to quality, sustainability and community”.
Declan Higgins, Chief Executive Officer for Higgins Group, said that alongside delivering new homes, Higgins was “committed to creating employment and training opportunities for local residents and supporting community organisations through volunteering and wider social value initiatives.”
Plan for old Ladywell leisure centre site to offer 100 affordable homes and green space in sustainable, energy efficient scheme
A planning application for the old leisure centre site behind the Place Ladywell will be submitted this autumn after a second round of consultation and community feedback is completed.
The scheme, part of the Building for Lewisham programme, will provide more than 100 affordable council homes, for social rent or shared ownership. It will also improve parking and access to the existing estate, and create new green space for residents.
These new homes will be mainly delivered by the council’s housing company Lewisham Homes and will help meet the chronic shortage of affordable homes in the borough..
London is in the grip of a severe housing shortage with an increasing lack of council housing across Lewisham.
There are currently 2,300 Lewisham families in temporary accommodation, of which 600 are in nightly paid accommodation.
The Place scheme will be constructed with a mix of sustainable low impact and low waste materials according to architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.
The aim is to create a largely car free environment with a design and layout that encourages walking, cycling and use of public transport.
The scheme will include public gardens, play spaces, more trees and rooftop greening.
Energy for the homes will be provided by an air source heat pump and solar panels.
There will be eight low rise blocks of varying heights gathered around a central green community space.
The Place Ladywell, the award winning modular development providing 24 homes for families, will remain in place for the time being but could be moved at a later date to give the scheme a clear link to Lewisham High Street.
More info here https://ladywellleisuresite.commonplace.is/
