Councillors have decided to end the current joint venture process for the Carpenters Estate to make way for a properly resident led masterplan.
At a meeting of last night’s Cabinet (4 December), councillors agreed to a report which recommended ending the current joint venture process for the estate, started under the previous administration. This would have seen a joint council and private sector development of the estate and its assets. The council will now undertake a review of options for the estate with the full involvement of residents, to deliver at least half of all new homes as socially rented council homes. As part of the process, the Mayor has met with the three previous bidders to explain the situation.
The rehousing programme on the estate will also continue in line with the commitments made in the Residents’ Charter so that those wishing to return to the estate at a later date can do so. The report is in line with Mayor of London’s Good Practice Guide to Estate Regeneration and future proposals will require a mandatory ballot of residents to proceed.
A full programme of engagement will be agreed with residents so they are fully involved at every stage of the process. Residents will be given sufficient time to engage with a masterplan and develop proposals, a process which will take between 9 to 12 months. A range of construction delivery routes will also be explored.
Conversations will also start soon on finding short term solutions which could immediately improve the estate and deliver tangible community benefits. Changes are already being made to ensure the estate is managed to a better standard.
Mayor Fiaz said: “I want to reassure the residents of the Carpenters Estate that I am on their side. It is not acceptable that they have been ignored for so long and finding a long term solution is one of my priorities. This decision puts the council in the driving seat with any future proposals for the estate and these can be shaped with the valuable input from those who know the estate best.
“The next steps will be putting together a comprehensive programme of involving residents which will not only keep them informed but will make sure they have their say. The Carpenters Estate has the potential to be a beacon of good practice in community involvement demonstrating how councils across London can work together with residents to build thriving, sustainable neighbourhoods.”