Kingston Council has secured funding to for an additional 104 new council homes in its Cambridge Road Estate regeneration. 

Obtaining a grant from the Greater London Authority, the council has been able to transfer 104 homes originally intended for private sale to council housing. The overall number of properties being delivered through the regeneration programme remains at 2,170. 

Cllr Emily Davey, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: "This is a great win for our borough.  

 "Vulnerable residents wait years for a council home in Kingston." 

The Cambridge Road Estate regeneration will now provide a total of 871 new council homes once all five phases of the scheme are complete. This is 218 more than on the original estate.  

Kingston Council's 2013 social housing policy said that on sites of 10 dwellings or more, the council would require 50% of the units to be affordable housing. The council added that it should be based on the total number of houses proposed in the development, rather than the net figure.   

The current plans for the Cambridge Road Estate fall short of this promise by dedicating 871 (40.1%) of homes as council housing. However, it is an increase from its 2022 figure of 767 (35.3%) of council homes. 

Funding more social housing increases the number of new council homes available for rent in Phase 1 of the redevelopment to 254.  

Speaking on a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Cllr for Norbiton Olly Wehring said: "For those residents who are in temporary accommodation at the moment, they'll be moving into their brand-new homes, here on Cambridge Road Estate, in about a year's time." 

Residents for Phase 1 were notified in December 2021 that they would be relocated into alternative accommodation in the summer of that year. Demolition then started on the CRE in December 2022.

As of July 2023, the council had 4,170 applicants on the housing register awaiting a permanent suitable home. Close to 1,000 people are living in temporary accommodation, according to a press release this week.  

The wider regeneration masterplan will deliver a mix of flats, maisonettes and houses of various sizes 

Cllr Emily Davey said: "After over 30 years of no action, Kingston is building again. We are providing the warm safe homes local people need." 

Data from an FOI request revealed between 1990-2020 a total of 103 new Council owned affordable homes were provided, with zero homes being built between 2005-2015.  

 The breakdown by year is: 

• 1990: 25 homes 
• 1991: 45 homes 
• 1994: 16 homes 
• 2018: 7 homes 
• 2019: 4 homes 
• 2020: 6 homes 

The Lib Dems have led the council for most of this period (1994-1998, 2002-2014, 2018- today), with power alternating with the Conservative Party (1988-94, 1998-2002 and 2014-2018).

The residents voted for the CRE regeneration plan 18 March 2020. A turnout of 86% saw 73% of eligible residents vote in favour of redevelopment on the estate.  

The joint venture was first approved in 2017 and is predicted to take a minimum of 13 years.

Demolition for Phase 1A started November 2022. The earliest Phase 5 is expected to be completed is end 2035)