Lewisham Council is set to lease 35 flats from L&Q to provide temporary accommodation for homeless households, as decided at a Mayor and Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, 22 October 2025.
The move aims to reduce the council's reliance on nightly paid accommodation, which Councillor Will Cooper, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness, described as often the most stressful and worrying time for anyone in their whole life.
Councillor Cooper stated that these flats are just another tool we are using to bring down numbers in insecure, nightly paid accommodation.
Councillor Cooper highlighted the challenges faced by families in temporary accommodation, noting that what is meant to be a short-term solution often extends to four or five years
.
As of the meeting, Lewisham had 2,527 households in temporary accommodation, with 1,141 in nightly paid accommodation. Councillor Cooper commended the work of Fem Beckman and her officers in reducing the number of people in temporary accommodation from almost 3,500. He said that the combination of targeted support for those who've been in temporary accommodation for the longest, the effectiveness of the acquisitions policy led by Councillor Warsh, of which 130 families have now been brought back into the borough in secure accommodation not nightly paid, and affordable accommodation for this borough, meant that the council was making strides forward in tackling the crisis. He described the leasing of the 35 flats as another innovative step
in doing that.
The acquisitions policy, led by Councillor Warsh, has already facilitated the return of 130 families into secure, affordable housing within the borough.
The long-term lease with L&Q for the flats at 485 New Cross Road is intended to provide more secure and cost-effective accommodation for families in need. Councillor Cooper also paid tribute to Gillian Douglas, who he said often turns his thinking into a wonderful paper and a strategy to make a real difference to our families
.
The decision reflects Lewisham Council's ongoing efforts to address homelessness and improve housing security for its residents. The council continues to explore various strategies to reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation and provide safer, more stable housing options.
While the specific criteria for prioritizing those in nightly paid accommodation for these flats were not detailed in the meeting information, the council's overall strategy involves targeted support and acquisitions policy.
