Carpenters Estate James Riley Point retrofit plans kickstart following Compulsory Purchase Order confirmation

• First phase of Carpenters Estate to kick start in autumn 2024 as CPO confirmed by Secretary of State for James Riley Point.
• James Riley Point to benefit from £3.28 million grant from Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
• Council’s first major retrofit scheme will lead to 136 high-quality social rent homes and brand new community centre at the heart of restored neighbourhood.

Newham Council’s ambitious Carpenters Estate regeneration scheme, one of the largest in the UK, has reached another new milestone with the long-anticipated Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for James Riley Point confirmed by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up and Communities.

Following planning approval for the 28-acre Carpenters Estate wider regeneration and restoration plans in February, confirmation of the CPO means that enabling works at James Riley Point can finally begin in the Autumn leading to 136 council homes being upgraded through a £3.83 million grant from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Alongside new façade allowing for high levels of thermal insulation, every home will have air source heat pumps meaning energy-efficient homes to support household finances.

The Council’s ‘retrofit first’ approach on the Carpenters Estate, delivered by its wholly owned housing company Populo Living, will see the retention and upgrade of at least 40 percent of the existing homes, including the refurbishment of James Riley Point to Passivhaus standards. 

Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE said: “It’s another step as we get cracking with the restoration of the Carpenters Estate and start work on of James Riley Point in the autumn. At every point we’ve tried to avoid this time-consuming CPO process because we just want to get on with delivering high quality homes our people can afford and deal with the housing crisis impacting Newham residents.

“Now that the CPO has been confirmed, we can get on with delivering our ambitious Carpenters Estate regeneration scheme which residents living on the estate overwhelming support. They know that the £1 billion scheme, which will be delivered across multiple phases over the coming decade is proof that we are investing in our people and communities. The James Riley Point retrofit scheme also means that residents will save money through high quality energy efficient homes that will mean cheaper bills and is better for the planet as we do our bit in the face of the climate emergency.”

CEO of Populo Living, Deborah Heenan, said: “We’re looking forward to finally kicking off the Carpenters regeneration, with the refurbishment of James Riley Point, delivering 136 affordable low-carbon homes for our residents, along with a state-of-the-art community and sports centre for the community to enjoy. Most importantly, we are keeping the estate firmly in Newham’s ownership which means that we can deliver at pace and deliver the best for our residents, who are in effect our shareholders in over £1bn of investment.”

The Carpenters Estate Regeneration is part of Mayor Fiaz’s ambitious housing agenda to deliver homes that Newham residents can afford. The scheme represents one of the largest planning applications submitted in London that will deliver 2,152 high-quality and sustainable homes with 50 percent at social rent. In addition, 314 existing homes (44 percent) on the estate will be restored to the highest green economy standards as part of the Council’s climate emergency response. The scheme has been designed to ensure all existing council tenants, homeowners, and those with a right to return can remain on the Estate. The masterplan also includes over 10,000 sqm of commercial space and local amenities for cafes, restaurants, shops, ‘makerspace’ workshop spaces and more. It will also better connect the Carpenters Estate with a clear route to the new step-free access entrance at Stratford Station.

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Notes to Editors

For more information about this media release please contact raihan.ali@populoliving.co.uk or CEX-.Media@newham.gov.uk