This week we are holding a second round of consultation to deliver much-needed new rental homes on our proposed site in Bromley after initial consultations with local residents and community groups last summer.
It follows our announcement in December of a £500m multi-decade joint venture with global investment company abrdn to deliver around 1,000 new homes across three locations; the Waitrose shop sites in Bromley and West Ealing as well as a vacant John Lewis warehouse in Mill Lane, Reading,
The latest plans set out our aspiration to deliver around 350 new high-quality, energy efficient homes in Bromley alongside major improvements to the existing Waitrose shop. Although plans will continue to evolve as part of the consultation process, illustrations of the proposals (see enclosed example), are being shared.
The London Borough of Bromley currently has a target to deliver around 650, although the Draft London Plan set out by The Mayor of London has a housing target for Bromley of 1,423 per year.
The proposals for the properties, which will be developed, owned and managed by the Partnership, have placed an emphasis on addressing specific local needs and incorporating design principles aligned to our own values centred around nature, wellness, sustainability and community.
A public piazza is located at the heart of the development with the surrounding homes and gardens attractively landscaped and the use of natural light maximised throughout to give a sense of space. A significantly revamped Waitrose shop, a cafe and improvements to the public realm such as new cycle routes and pedestrian links through the site, as well as new green spaces to increase its biodiversity, are included.
Other features include a range of amenities and facilities such as lounges, spaces to work, exercise, eat and relax to encourage residents to socialise and help create a vibrant and thriving place to live. The homes would be built for different sized households and designed to our high standards. Residents would have options for short and long-term tenure and the homes would be furnished by John Lewis.
London’s planning policy directs new homes to be built on brownfield sites in well-connected and sustainable central locations like Waitrose Bromley which avoid creating urban sprawl or impacting green spaces. The site sits next to Bromley South Rail Station in the town centre and at the intersection of major roads. We tested a number of different design options to determine how the homes would integrate within the site’s surroundings, including looking at the height and scale of existing buildings nearby.
Our target is to deliver 10,000 homes in the next ten years - 5,000 of these will come from schemes on the Partnership's own property portfolio. Moving into the rental homes market is part of our long-term plan for 40% of profits to come from beyond retail by 2030.
