Work starts to deliver affordable homes in Blackhorse Road

• All remaining homes will be eligible for Help to Buy
• Plans include new retail, commercial and co-working spaces
• Construction will create up to 300 new jobs and local apprenticeship opportunities

Transport for London (TfL), Barratt London and London & Quadrant (L&Q) have started work on site at Blackhorse Road to deliver hundreds of new homes, of which 50 per cent will be affordable housing. The work on site has begun after receiving full planning permission in February 2019.

The Blackhorse View development is being built on a 1.8 acre site and will deliver 350 new homes in Waltham Forest across six new buildings. The new homes will provide a mixture of studio, one, two and three bedroom properties.

In line with the Mayor's commitment to provide affordable homes for London, 50 per cent of the new homes at Blackhorse View will be affordable, managed by leading housing association, L&Q. 60 per cent of these affordable homes will be 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 will be available to households on low income with prices based on social rent levels, with almost half of these being three bedroom properties.

Blackhorse View will also provide 17,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, including opportunities for small and independent businesses. There is also the potential for a new co-working hub and creative workspaces, which will further support the Blackhorse Lane Creative Enterprise Zone.

The construction of the site will create up to 300 jobs and local apprenticeship opportunities throughout the life of the project, which is expected to be completed in early 2020s.

Blackhorse View is situated opposite Blackhorse Road station, which is serviced by both the Victoria line and London Overground. The site will also make it easier for residents to cycle with 650 cycle parking spaces.

Designed by RMA Architects, the development is a key element of the wider masterplan of the Blackhorse Lane regeneration area, which falls under part of the Greater London Authority's Blackhorse Road and Northern Olympic Park Housing zone as well as the London Borough of Waltham Forest's Blackhorse Lane Area Action Plan. It will ensure that those living and working in the area continue to benefit from the changes taking place by improving public amenities - including new public pedestrian links, new trees and new children's play spaces.

Graeme Craig, Director of Commercial Development at TfL, said:

'Blackhorse View is a really exciting development and we are thrilled to be starting construction on the site with Barratt London. This is another key milestone as we drive forward our programme to deliver 10,000 homes across the capital, while also generating vital revenue to reinvest in the transport network.

'Supporting the regeneration already taking place in Waltham Forest, the development will provide much-needed homes and support the local economy with new public amenities as well as opening up new job and apprenticeship opportunities. Businesses will also be able to grow and flourish by taking advantage of the fantastic new retail and work spaces being provided.'

Stephen Thompson, Managing Director, Barratt East London, said:

'Blackhorse View is an exciting project for us and we are particularly pleased to be delivering such a high percentage of much needed affordable homes for the borough, alongside retail and co-working space. It is a great privilege to be bringing forward this development in partnership with Transport for London.'

Elaine Taylor, Land, Acquisitions and Planning Director at L&Q (East Region), said:

'We are delighted to have passed this major milestone at Blackhorse View. L&Q's vision is that everyone has a quality home they can afford, and we are proud to be providing 50 per cent affordable housing to help meet Waltham Forest's housing needs.'

Deputy Leader of Waltham Forest Council and Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Clyde Loakes, said:

'This is fantastic scheme to provide new homes for local people, including genuinely affordable homes, while at the same time improving air quality in this part of the borough by encouraging people to use more sustainable methods of transport and creating secure parking for cycles. New trees will also help tackle air pollution, while the children's play spaces and pedestrian links will transform the area and make is it far more accessible for cyclists and those travelling by foot.

'The Blackhorse area is seeing major investment on a number of sites to make it a vibrant centre for creative industries alongside high quality homes. It's part of the council's ambition to provide a decent roof over every resident's head and improve the life chances of everyone who lives, works, or studies in Waltham Forest.'

James Murray, Deputy Mayor for Housing & Residential Development, said:

'It's great to see work get underway at Blackhorse View, where half the new homes will based on social rent levels or affordable homes for first-time buyers - the sorts of homes that Londoners desperately need.'

Notes to editors

• Barratt London was appointed to work on the project as part of TfL's Property Partnership Framework.
• TfL launched the Property Partnership Framework in 2016. Following a competitive tender process, TfL approved the appointment of 13 leading property development companies and consortiums that it could work with to develop its sites. This provides a ready pool of partners eligible to bid to work with TfL in joint ventures as sites become available. This will ensure thousands of homes, offices and retail spaces across London can be delivered more efficiently and quickly. You can find out more by visiting: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/business-and-commercial/property-development
• Barratt London is the market-leading residential developer in the capital. They design, build and sell large, complex residential-led developments tailored to the needs of their customers and stakeholders, as well as local boroughs and communities. They are committed to delivering an exceptional quality development that creates real benefits for the local community. Barratt London is part of Barratt Developments PLC, the UK's largest housebuilder. For more information, visit www.barrattlondon.com
• Established in 1979 and based in Hampstead, RMA Architects are an award-winning architectural practice. They have significant experience working with Barratt London in delivering high-quality, mixed-use developments across London, including:
• Around 700 homes and 70,000 sq. ft. of commercial space at Greenland Place in Lewisham.
• Around 280 homes and 21,500 sq. ft. of retail space at East Ham's former market hall in Newham.
• The site was previously used as a public car park comprising of 280 spaces, run by National Car Parks on behalf of TfL.