Final approval granted for the first 200 new homes at Eastfields

Construction work on the first phase of replacement homes at the Eastfields regeneration project in Merton has moved one step closer after detailed plans were given the green light by the council.

Eastfields, owned and managed by Clarion Housing Group, is one of three Merton estates being transformed as part of a £1.3bn regeneration project in partnership with Merton Borough Council.

Clarion is working with the council to deliver one of the largest regeneration projects in the country, which will provide more than 2,700 new homes across the three estates. Around 1,000 existing homes will be replaced, with an additional 1,700 new homes built over the next 15 years.

Clarion will now seek to appoint a contractor to build the first 201 brand-new homes at Eastfields after the council granted full planning permission for phase one. Outline planning consent for the estate was awarded by the council in 2018.

The housing provider will also continue to work with existing residents to take legal control of a small number of remaining homes at Eastfields before it can progress its plans for the regeneration.

Sustainable approach

Work to transform the 1970s-built Eastfields estate will create a total of 800 good quality homes, a new community facility and a woodland play area for children. There will also be significant improvements to landscaping and the public realm, as well as improved and safer access.

As part of Clarion’s wider commitment to sustainability, the new apartments at Eastfields will be served by a new low carbon and communal air source heat pump system.

Clarion is providing a brand-new replacement home for Eastfields residents wanting to stay and will purchase the home of any homeowner wishing to leave. Those choosing to stay will be rehoused according to their housing and mobility needs, as Clarion seeks to enhance living standards and reduce overcrowding for residents.

The new homes in phase one will be a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, two and three-bedroom maisonettes, and three-bedroom houses.

Each property will have a private garden or balcony, and will exceed local planning requirements and building regulations when it comes to energy efficiency. There will also be parking facilities including on-street and courtyard spaces – as well as electric vehicle charging points for some homes.

 

Major regeneration programme

 

Full planning consent for phase one at Eastfields means that all three estates in the wider regeneration are now progressing. Construction work on phase two at Ravensbury began in January and residents moved into the first new homes at High Path in February.

Clarion is building more than 200 new homes at Ravensbury while at High Path it will create a brand-new neighbourhood of over 1,704 new homes, a park and community facilities.

Richard Cook, Group Development Director at Clarion Housing Group, said: [italics] “Securing detailed planning consent for the first phase at Eastfields marks a major milestone in our wider Merton regeneration, with work now quickly progressing across the three estates.

“We are looking forward to continuing this ambitious and transformational project across Eastfields, High Path and Ravensbury. Working closely with our delivery partners and Merton Borough Council, we are proudly breathing new life into the three areas to improve the lives of local residents and the neighbourhoods they call home.”

Clarion has worked with existing residents and the local community to shape its plans for Eastfields. Green spaces, play areas and property layouts were all designed in conjunction with residents and the council, as were the material choices of the new homes themselves.

Construction work on phase one at Eastfields is expected to complete in 2027. The new homes will be built in a number of sub-phases enabling residents to quickly move into their new homes once they are finished.