Countryside get the green light for suburban regeneration 

Developer and housing association partnership project to build 275 new homes for Beckenham

The green shoots of suburban regeneration have already put in an appearance for Calverley Close in the London suburb of Beckenham thanks to a partnership between developers Countryside Partnerships and Riverside Housing Association. Planning permission has already been granted for the estate to be completely rebuilt – and the preparatory work is due to start this spring, ready for building to begin in earnest in October.

With UK social housing still in desperately short supply, any development of affordable homes in which a housing association co-operates with developers is to be welcomed – and Calverley Close residents in particular will be pleased to see their estate finally being rebuilt. Countryside Partnerships’ approach has been admirably collaborative: in order to ensure the plans provide for the needs of all concerned, they have worked closely with residents, the council and the wider local community ever since residents voted in favour of the regeneration in a 2021 ballot. 

Of the 275 new homes, 179 are designated ‘affordable homes’ and are to be allotted to current residents, with another 96 available for private purchase – all within five blocks ranging from three to seven storeys. The entire scheme has been thoughtfully designed with plenty of open green space to improve biodiversity in the immediate area, while other environmentally-friendly measures include electric car charging points and an on-site car club.

Quoted in constructionenquirer.com, Countryside Partnerships’ South London Managing Director Ray Toft said, 

‘The redevelopment of the Calverley Close estate is a fantastic opportunity to deliver a significant number of quality homes for local residents, creating a vastly improved neighbourhood and integrating existing and new communities.’