Affordable homes milestone at White City Living

Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, came to White City Living this week to celebrate the “topping out” of 427 new affordable homes.

The event, which marked the completion of the building’s structural frame, is an important milestone in phase two of this  major central London regeneration by St James.

The 27 storey building will provide a mix of affordable housing tenures, including London Living Rent, Affordable Rent and Extra Care homes for people with care needs.

Residents are expected to start moving in next year.

St James, part of the Berkeley Group, is transforming the 11 acre former warehouse site into a new mixed-used district as the final chapter of the major regeneration of White City. The White City Living scheme will deliver more than 2,300 mixed tenure homes, a new 5 acre public park, refurbished railway arches for retail use and improved pedestrian connections through to Westfield London.

The 427 affordable homes will be managed by housing associations Optivo Housing and Notting Hill Genesis, whilst Hammersmith & Fulham Council will also become a shared equity partner with St James for some of the homes.

The provision of affordable homes is a key part of St James’ vision for White City Living, alongside the creation of job opportunities and training for local people. During construction it is estimated that 620 full time jobs will be created, with another 350 permanent jobs created upon completion of the project.

Since construction commenced, 12 unemployed people from the local area have taken on apprenticeships with different contractors working across the site. St James has also provided three-week work placements to those unemployed with limited or no previous construction experience. These placements allow participants to gain their CSCS cards, a valuable first step into the industry.

Inspiring the next generation to start a career in construction is a priority; a number of local school visits have already taken place, whilst St James works with Fulham Cross Academy to help students into placements and apprenticeships.

Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, said:

“We’re committed to delivering the most genuinely affordable homes for Hammersmith & Fulham residents in a decade, at no cost to council tax payers.”

“We want all who live in H&F to benefit from its growth and prosperity and by working alongside St James on the White City Living project, we’ve been able to not only delivery new affordable homes, but to also enhance our offer as one of the most vibrant places to live, work and do business in London.”

Sean Ellis, Chairman St James Group, said:

“White City Living highlights exactly what can be achieved through true regeneration – outstanding new homes of all tenures, beautiful and extensive new landscaping for residents and the local community to enjoy, vastly improved infrastructure, and skills and job opportunities for local people.

“As part of the regeneration, we’re providing 427 affordable homes across a range of tenures to ensure a diverse and inclusive community can enjoy this new neighbourhood and prime part of central London.”

Bunmi Atta, Director of Construction at Optivo, said: “This development will be a positive addition to the area and we’re really proud to be part of it. This is a high quality scheme, with great transport links, set in impressive surroundings.

“We’re excited to be working closely with Hammersmith and Fulham Council to house local people and families.

“At Optivo, we’re determined to do our bit to tackle the housing crisis and look forward to giving residents the keys to their new home in the near future.”

Robert East, Director of Care and Support for Notting Hill Genesis, said:

“Providing high-quality extra care housing and supporting older people to live independently is a vital part of our work and we’re extremely proud to be offering this at White City Living. This is a landmark moment for the development and we look forward to welcoming our first residents.”