Nearly 50 new 'pocket homes' are to be built in Charlton after receiving approval at a recent Greenwich Council meeting.

The new affordable homes, 48 in total, will be build on an underused car park at The Heights Estate in south east London.

Pocket Living aims to offer affordable, compact living, as well as offer ordinary Londoners a first step onto the property ladder on their own.

Since launching in 2005, Pocket has built nearly 1,000 homes across London, and around 40% of their purchasers are key workers.

And Greenwich's first pocket houses, which will be offered at a 20% discount to market rate, were approved at a council meeting last Wednesday where they received unanimous approval from councillors.

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They will be built at The Heights Estate in Charlton, on previously council-owned land that was once the site of a quarry, but has been a underutilised car park since the 1970s.

They have been designed by Gibson Thornley, with 45 one-bedroom and three two-bedroom homes, the vast majority of which will be duel aspect (with windows on two walls).

Greenwich Council said "the unwavering support from councillors is recognition of the pent up demand for accessible, alternative routes to home ownership."

All the homes will have access to a shared roof terrace and ground floor garden, and the development is set for completion in 2023.

Nick Cuff, Pocket Living’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Pocket homes offer ordinary Londoners a first step onto the property ladder away from flat shares or living with mum and dad.

“As we look towards a post-Covid market, it’s clear to us from our own research and the level of interest we’ve had across London that there’s a substantial group of first-time buyers who are either locked out of, or aren’t attracted to, existing routes to ownership – that’s where Pocket has a big role to play.

“We have seen a huge demand for our affordable homes, much of which is driven by key workers – nurses, firefighters, teachers – wanting to put down roots and find a place to call their own in the Capital.”

Other Pocket flat developments can be found in Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham and Croydon, plus several sites north of the River Thames.