Royal Borough of Greenwich has extended its three-year reign as London’s top affordable housing developer with planning approval for another 28 council properties designed to help families struggling with rental costs.
The borough has now outpaced every other London authority for new affordable home construction for three consecutive years, demonstrating sustained commitment to tackling accommodation shortages through direct council building rather than relying solely on private developers.
Planning permission has been granted for developments in four Greenwich neighbourhoods, with sites confirmed in New Eltham, Plumstead, Hornfair Park and Eltham. The properties will include one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom options to accommodate different household sizes.
Residents currently registered on the borough’s housing waiting list will be offered the homes once construction finishes, adding to 588 council properties already handed over to local families. Additional homes remain under construction at various locations across Greenwich.
The approved developments contribute toward a 1,750-home target set under the Greenwich Builds programme, which aims to provide accommodation with rents linked to local income levels rather than commercial market rates. This approach contrasts with shared ownership and affordable rent schemes that critics argue remain out of reach for many families.
Council Leader Anthony Okereke highlighted continued progress despite obstacles facing the construction industry nationwide. He noted that social housing offers the most reliable route to genuinely affordable accommodation, with pricing structures designed to match what local people actually earn rather than inflated market valuations.
All 28 approved homes will be built to carbon neutral standards, producing no net emissions during operation. This environmental specification applies across the Housing Our Greenwich initiative, the wider programme encompassing Greenwich Builds and other council housing projects.
The four sites received planning approval simultaneously, though individual construction start dates have not been announced. Work will commence once contractors are appointed and necessary preparatory activities completed at each location.
Greenwich’s housing delivery record represents significant public investment in direct council housebuilding, reviving a model that declined sharply in previous decades as authorities shifted toward encouraging private sector provision.
The 1,750-home Greenwich Builds target remains several years from completion, requiring additional planning applications for sites yet to be brought forward. The council continues identifying suitable land parcels across the borough for future phases of the programme.
