A ‘topping out’ ceremony was held at Brook House in Brixton Hill to mark reaching the highest point in the construction of new, affordable homes for the area.
The site used to be Hambrook House which was Lambeth Council’s housing offices. It was demolished as the council moves from 14 buildings to two saving £4.5 million a year.
When completed, Brook House, will have 48 affordable homes including 34 homes at social rent, as well as 46 private apartments. There will also be a shop or cafe on the ground floor with the council’s new Civic Centre next door.
It is part of Lambeth council’s Your New Town Hall scheme which includes investment into developing 219 new homes, 47% of which will be classed as affordable homes.
Paul McGlone, deputy leader of the council, said: “The housing crisis in Lambeth needs direct action. These homes are an important step towards our plans to build 1,000 new council homes.
Brook House will be finished in September 2018 when families on Lambeth’s waiting list will move in. A second former council office on the site called Ivor House which faces onto Acre Lane will feature another 26 new flats and be finished at the same time.
Muse Developments is the council’s development partner on the project and the main contractor for this phase is Galliford Try.
James Stockdale, senior development manager at Muse Developments, said: “This is a key milestone in the delivery of Brook House and the wider Your New Town Hall scheme, which is providing much-needed housing and commercial space alongside the refurbished Grade II listed Town Hall and new energy-efficient civic office.
