Digital sensors are being installed in empty homes on the Cambridge Road Estate to discourage anti-social behaviour and squatting, Kingston Council announced today (30 June).

The Norbiton estate is undergoing regeneration and a number of residents have moved out so that existing buildings can be demolished.

Kingston Council has warned that these vacant properties could attract unwanted attention and is installing the new sensors in partnership with IoT specialists North.

The sensors will monitor any unauthorised entry and occupancy of the buildings and aim to make the estate safer, avoid delays to regeneration, and save money as break-ins will be spotted sooner.

Regeneration of the Cambridge Road Estate was voted through by its residents early last year.

As part of its revival, the estate will get approximately 2,170 new homes including at least 114 additional Council homes.

These will be a mix of flats, maisonettes and houses of various sizes and number of bedrooms matched to the needs of the households.

Cllr Emily Davey, Portfolio Holder for Housing at Kingston Council, said: "We want to provide reassurance to residents on the Cambridge Road Estate about the security and safety of empty properties near their homes.

"These sensors will be able to provide us with real-time insights so that our teams know if intervention is needed to prevent anti-social behaviour which could cause distress to residents."

The news follows the announcement of two other projects involving sensors in Kingston earlier this month.

These include a project to monitor bike lane use through AI sensors on bike lanes in the borough, and a partnership with Breathe London to measure air pollution around school streets .

All of these projects have been funded by the InnOvaTe Project , a multi-purpose Internet of Things platform connecting sensors across five boroughs of South London.

The platform was set up in 2018 and aims to "create spaces that address challenges in our communities and opportunities to help people live better, healthier lives and live independently for longer."