Connected Living London - Plans to deliver new rental homes near Kennington station given the green light

A new mixed-use development of 139 new rental homes and more than 2,700 sqm of light industrial workspace in north Lambeth has been given the go-ahead, helping to provide quality rental housing for the area along with commercial opportunities to help support the local economy.

The proposals by Connected Living London (CLL) - the formal partnership between Grainger plc and Transport for London (TfL) - have been designed by award-winning architects, Hawkins\Brown and will occupy a site currently being used to facilitate the delivery of the Northern Line Extension.

The new rental homes, which include 40 per cent affordable housing, will be delivered across two buildings with a central mews street between them. They will be a mixture of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom properties, providing options for all types of households. The affordable homes will be provided at a discount to open market rates for rent.

Situated within ten minutes' walking distance of Vauxhall, Kennington and Oval stations, the development's location means residents will have a number of different ways to travel sustainably using the public transport network, including the Tube, rail network and buses. For those looking to enjoy one of London's most famous natural landmarks, the River Thames is less than fifteen minutes' walk away.

The development has also been shaped deliberately to incorporate sustainability throughout its design and features a sustainable energy system, which includes solar panels. The buildings also have roof gardens, biodiverse roofs, hedges and bird boxes to help to provide shelter and roosting sites for birds.

To help support the local economy, more than 2,700 sqm of light industrial space is also being created as part of the development. Building on the area's history of industry, this space offers an opportunity for a range of businesses, which could include the likes of a fashion studio, photography workspace or cycle repair shops. The central mews street can also be used to bring the community together by hosting pop-up markets and street food vendors.

Ben Tate, Head of Build to Rent at Transport for London, said: "It's brilliant to be given the go-ahead for the first of our schemes in Lambeth, building on the success of our scheme at Southall.

"Our scheme at Montford Place is a truly mixed-use development.  It will provide new rental homes that are desperately needed and will contribute to the local economy by delivering a significant amount of great commercial space that will enable business to flourish."

Mike Keaveney, Director of Land and Development, Grainger plc said "This is another great milestone for Connected Living London and will see the delivery of much needed quality rental homes for people in Lambeth. We look forward to seeing this vibrant new mixed-use community brought to life."

With the capital's shortage of quality rental properties and affordable homes, CLL was established in July 2019 with an ambition of creating London's leading mixed tenure rental communities, providing excellent service in a place where residents feel secure and at home.

The development at Montford Place is the second of CLL's schemes to be given the go-ahead at planning committee, following a successful outcome three months ago its application to deliver 460 new rental homes in. Since it was set up in July 2019, CLL has submitted four planning applications. The plans for Nine Elms, located close to the Northern Line extension, and Arnos Grove, situated next to the Tube station, are due to be heard at planning committees in the coming months.

If all are approved, these four schemes would collectively deliver more than 1,200 new rental homes across the city, with each scheme individually delivering 40 per cent affordable housing, alongside industrial and commercial workspace and improvements for the local community.

Notes to editors

• These first four sites are part of CLL's wider programme that aims to provide the capital with more than 3,000 new homes, designed specifically for those who wish to rent. CLL expects to soon submit a planning application for its scheme at Cockfosters, which looks to provide hundreds of new homes, public spaces and better pedestrian and cycling facilities. It is also continuing to shape the opportunity to provide around 1,500 homes on the Limmo Peninsula, a 12-acre site next to Canning Town Tube station that has been used as a works site for the Elizabeth line.
• All of CLL's developments have been designed with both the individual site's context and local community in mind. Across its portfolio, CLL has undertaken extensive and meaningful consultation with local communities - receiving more than 2,000 pieces of feedback, having spent more than 110 hours talking to the local community at exhibition events, pop-ups and public consultations with more than 1,000 attendees and sending updates to more than 50,000 people.
• By engaging with the local community and stakeholders, the proposals have been updated throughout the consultation process to reflect feedback and help address local concerns. All proposals have also been designed as sustainable developments that offer a range of benefits for the existing communities. These include new public spaces for the community or better cycling and walking facilities to encourage sustainable travel. The heritage of each site - particularly those located next to listed stations - has also been considered throughout the design process.
• Further details on the other submitted schemes can be found on the website: https://www.connectedlivinglondon.co.uk/
• There is the potential for other sites to be added to CLL's programme in the future.
• Sustainable development is at the heart of CLL's approach. Through its projects, CLL will drive social impact, promote economic development, and exemplify a philosophy of environmental stewardship - not only because it's the right thing to do, but because doing so can drive commercial value. Financial returns, social impact, and environmental sustainability operate hand-in-hand.
• TfL was last month awarded a GRESB 5 Star rating and recognised as a leader by GRESB - with an overall score of 93 out a maximum of 100. GRESB is one of the leading environmental, social and governance benchmarks for real estate and infrastructure investments across the world, examining their environmental, social and governance performance. The outstanding score was in part made possible by working with its development partners, such as Grainger, who have embraced the approach of putting sustainability at the heart of development.
• The proposals will be supporting the local economy through the creation of new commercial space. It will also create a variety of employment opportunities, not just through the new commercial spaces, but also throughout construction.
• The proposals are also looking to bring nature into the built environment and encourage a shift to sustainable modes of transport in line with the Mayor's Transport Strategy, such as through planting new trees and greenery, improving pedestrian and cycling facilities, incorporating solar roofs, closing car parks and optimising building performance with respect to energy, carbon, water and waste. By encouraging people to travel by foot, on bike or by public transport, CLL will help improve London's air quality, support people in becoming more active and make the local areas better places to live.
• All properties will also contribute towards London's ambitious target to become zero carbon by 2050, which the Intend to Publish London Plan states can be achieved by increasing energy efficiency and utilising low carbon energy sources. CLL has also actively sought to embed the Home Quality Mark system (the successor to the Code for Sustainable Homes) across its schemes and is targeting to achieve 4 Stars under HQM