First residents move into new Clarion Housing scheme

The first residents have moved into social housing homes on the Sherwood Close estate in west London, currently being given a multibillion-pound revamp by Clarion Housing Group.

Together with Ealing council and Lovell, the contractor on the job, Clarion is overhauling the former 1970s estate. The recently completed tranche of homes for 71 residents forms the first element in the £2.6bn programme.

Eventually there will be 298 new homes on the 1.64ha site, 184 of which will be for private sale, with 114 up for affordable ownership or rent.

Clarion said it was chosen to partner the local authority on the regeneration project after the council had consulted with residents.

The consultation found that demolition and redevelopment was the only viable solution for the future of the estate, Clarion said, which was in “poor structural condition with many inherent design flaws”.

The original estate hosted 209 homes, with 160 rented by council tenants and 47 leasehold properties.

The housing association said every resident would have the right to return to the revamped estate, but would be given advice and assistance if they decided to seek a new form of tenure.

It said its broader development aim was to build 50,000 new homes over 10 years and that it would invest £13bn to fulfil its target.

Two-thirds of the 50,000 homes will be affordable and developed by Clarion Housing, while homes for private sale will be delivered and marketed by the housing association through development company Latimer.