Greenwich council has promised to build 6,000 new council, social rent and low rent homes within ten years, according to Southwark News. The borough currently has the fifth longest social housing waiting list in London, with more than 30,000 households queuing for a council home.

Key points

  • Homes target — 6,000 council, social rent and low rent homes promised within a decade.
  • Existing stock — £278 million set aside for upgrades and repairs to current homes.
  • Young people — a £1.6 million youth grant, five youth hubs open seven days a week, £36.4m for SEND school places and a new all-through SEND school.
  • Longer term — the four-year plan sits inside a vision running to 2050.

The plan, published on 22 October, also commits the council to campaigning for a DLR extension, regenerating Charlton Riverside and bringing forward Thamesmead's New Town. Councillor Anthony Okereke, leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said the document was shaped by more than 1,000 responses gathered over the summer, including at community forums in Plumstead, Eltham, Greenwich and Blackheath.

"A child born here this year will be 24 in 2050 and looking for a good job and home," he said. "Our corporate plan is the first four-year step towards that reality."

Okereke added that the feedback had shown how the borough should be treated and handed on to the next generation, and that Greenwich should keep the character that makes areas such as Eltham, Plumstead and Charlton distinctive.

Editor's comment

What it means in practice

For anyone on the housing list or renting privately in the borough, the pledge is a signal about where council money will go over the next few years — but the homes will arrive gradually, and 6,000 over a decade will not clear a queue of more than 30,000 households on its own.

  • Waiting list — expect new lets to be phased in slowly; check the council's allocations scheme if your circumstances change.
  • Tenants in existing homes — the repairs and upgrade budget may bring insulation and energy-saving work, so watch for notices about surveys and access.
  • Families with SEND children — the school investment and new all-through school are worth tracking through local consultations.