Nearly 1,500 homes in the Grove Park area of south east London transferred to London & Quadrant Housing Trust on 7 July.
Residents on the Grove Park Estate are set to receive nearly £60 million worth of investment to their homes over the next 30 years following the stock transfer of 1,439 homes from Lewisham Council to the housing trust.
London & Quadrant Housing Trust plan to invest £20 million in the first five years to bring tenants’ homes up to a decent standard. This will ensure tenants and leaseholders benefit from homes that are well maintained, modern and warm in a neighbourhood that is attractive and secure.
London & Quadrant Housing Trust will also work hand in hand with residents to ensure they get an excellent housing service and have a real say about how their homes are managed in the future.
Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services said, “Lewisham Council believes in a resident-led approach to meeting the investment needs of decent homes. London & Quadrant supports this approach and will ensure residents will have a real say in how their homes and local environment are transformed."
“As well as upgrading homes, this transfer will bring improvements to community green spaces, along with new and exciting opportunities for local young people.”
David Montague, Group Chief Executive at London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q), said: "L&Q has already been working closely with the residents of Grove Park in the lead up to this transfer, but now the transfer is complete we will be working flat out to make sure that all the promises we made to residents are kept."
“Residents have shown their faith in us by voting to transfer their homes to L&Q, and we are determined to repay that faith by listening to what they want and providing them with excellent homes and services they can really be proud of."
Michael Hill, Chair of the Grove Park Homes Community Board said, “Grove Park Homes Community Board gives residents a say in how our homes are run. The function of the Board is to liaise with L&Q on all matters concerning our homes."
“Both tenants and leaseholders are on the Board as we all have an interest in seeing that properties are well maintained. Maintaining the neighbourhood environment is equally as important to the well-being of residents. The Board is confident that L&Q will carry out both these functions to the standards they have shown elsewhere.”
Features that London & Quadrant will deliver to Grove Park Estate residents are:
- More community control – a resident-led community board will control how money is spent, define work priorities and oversee the management of homes.
- Extra investment for tenants and leaseholders – not only will London & Quadrant Housing Trust improve homes to exceed the Government’s Decent Homes Standard, but it will invest money to improve the environment.
- More than just bricks and mortar – money has been set aside to improve community facilities.
- Safer, stronger communities – London & Quadrant Housing Trust has a strong track record of combating anti-social behaviour and has committed funding towards the Neighbourhood Warden scheme for Grove Park.