The Only Way Is Up

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Putney properties expand by building new homes on existing roof space


Three new flats on a block in William Williamson block

Council and private properties have looked upwards to roof space for expansion to create 'hidden homes.

The council have added three new home on top of the William Williamson block in Putney and at the private Messenger Court, Fruition Properties have craned up prefabricated apartments to create The View; four one and two bedroom apartments in 'unused air space'.

The council believes that providing new homes on top of existing blocks, not only replaces old roofs at no cost to residents, but, it can also reduce the service charge by spreading it among a greater number of households.


Messenger Court with The View (above) and the original block

Cllr Clare Salier, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “For many years Wandsworth has built new council homes through its Hidden Homes programme on under-used plots of land, an approach which other local authorities have since taken up. However, we recognise that we need to do more to provide local homes and have tasked officers not just to deliver the 260 homes in the pipeline but to identify other sites where homes for rent and for sale, prioritised for local residents and workers, can be built.”

In next weeks council’s Executive meeting, (27 November) plans will be discussed for a thousand new homes at sites across Wandsworth in the coming years, with 60.5% of them for low cost rent and shared ownership.

A scheme titled Building Homes for Wandsworth People will target existing residents and workers from the borough through local lettings and marketing, and the Council tenants living nearby and under-occupying their existing homes would be given the opportunity to ‘downsize’ into the newly-built council housing if they wish to, with priority also given to overcrowded households.

Mani Khiroya, Managing Director of Fruition Properties who have developed The View comments: “There is a housing and land shortage in the capital so we must seek innovative ways to deliver new homes – one of which is building upwards. This is our first development of its kind and builds upon our track record of converting airspace above existing properties with minimal disruption to the current occupiers. We look forward to taking on similar projects in the future.”

Val Bagnall, Managing Director of Apex Airspace as specialist company that converts unused ‘airspace’ above residential, commercial and public building rooftops into new homes told PutneySW15: "At a time that many are seeking to encroach on the green belt , there is substantial new land supply on London's roofs to satisfy immediate demand - in fact 42% of London's targeted new homes could be met this way. We understand that the chancellor will this week unveil more planning freedoms this week to assist bring forward rooftop sites."

November 23, 2017