Yesterday (23 October) saw the launch of the first building block, Arun House, as part of Kingston Council's Small Sites Housing project. 

Holding 18 homes, the site is one of four small sites which will see 101 new affordable, sustainable council homes built by Kingston Council and development partners Countryside. 

Waseem Ahmab, 47, moved into his new home with his wife and three children in August this year. His ground-floor apartment provides a standing frame, a wheelchair and a hoist for his disabled thirteen-year-old son. 

Mr Ahmed has lived in Kingston for around 20 years and moved into the new accommodation from Surbiton. He spoke fondly of the communal garden and getting to know his new neighbours. 

He said: "Kingston has very good everything. People are good, the shopping is good, I love living here." 

All the homes are now filled, with some families having moved in during August.  

Arun House is home to 18 new council flats, part of the Small Sites Housing project. (Photo: Emily Dalton)

The development marks the first comp first set of council homes for over 30 years in the borough. As of July 2023 Kingston Council had 4170 applicants on the housing register. 

Present was Kingston MP Sir Ed Davey, Cllr Emily Davey, the Mayor of Kingston as well as the families of the Arun House residents. 

Cllr Davey, Kingston Council's Portfolio Holder for Housing, spoke of how the site used to be nothing more than "two skips" and where people dumped rubbish. Cllr Davey was visibly delighted to see the council houses completed. 

The 18 apartments on the Cambridge Road site will be served by solar panels and there will be charging points for electric car users. 

The three other small sites - York Way, Cumberland House and Roupell House are still in the construction phase. Together with Cambridge Road they will all deliver a total of 101 new council homes and other exciting new benefits for residents, such as a new play area at York Way and new landscaping at Cumberland House.