Plans to build 80 new sustainable council homes in Kidbrooke have been approved by Greenwich Council's Planning Board, along with £750,000 to be spent on improving the local area.

Collectively referred to as 'The Brooks', the newly approved schemes will see new council homes for social rent built along Rochester Way.

And £750,000 will be spent on improving recreational spaces in the local area, including a new retail unit and an extra road crossing on Rochester Way, both of which were added on in response to feedback given by residents.

All the homes will be designed to meet zero-carbon standards through the use of sustainability technologies such as air source heat pumps and solar panels.

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Greenwich Council leader Danny Thorpe said he was "absolutely delighted" to have secured planning permission at the second time of asking, calling it "another big win" for the Greenwich Builds programme.

He added: "We know these new homes will transform the lives of people currently on our housing waiting lists and look forward to seeing tenants moving in.”

Granted planning approval on January 19, 2021, the scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four bedroom houses and apartments across all three sites, with eight also offering wheelchair access.

Work is due to begin on all sites by spring 2021, and the homes are expected to be ready for those currently on the housing waiting lists between summer 2022 and spring 2023.

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The new homes, spread over three sites in Kidbrooke, join 207 currently under construction across Greenwich, and a four home pilot scheme completed in 2020 in Woolwich.

The Greenwich Builds programme promises to provide 750 new council homes for social rent across the borough.

Council Cabinet Member for Housing, Anthony Okereke, said: “The approval of 80 new council homes is a great start to the new year and a fantastic result for our Greenwich Builds programme, which has already enjoyed great success this year having obtained permission for over 200 new homes across the borough.

"We are particularly proud of our work on the three Brooks sites along Rochester Way, where extensive engagement with local residents has resulted in exemplary schemes incorporating a retail unit, new road crossing and £750,000 to improve the local area."