Lambeth Council has set an ambitious target to deliver at least 10,000 new homes over the next decade, with a significant focus on increasing the supply of social rent properties. This commitment was reaffirmed during a recent Cabinet meeting where councillors reviewed the progress of the New Homes Programme (NHP) for 2026/27, as detailed in the New Homes Programme Update 2026/27.
The council is grappling with a severe housing crisis, with over 28,000 households on the council housing waiting list and approximately 4,400 households currently in temporary accommodation. To address this, the NHP aims to deliver a mix of housing, with an ambition for 40% of all new homes across the borough's development pipeline to be genuinely affordable. Lambeth uses the Greater London Authority's (GLA) Affordable Housing Programme definitions for affordable housing, which include Social Rent (low-cost rental homes for those on waiting lists), London Living Rent (LLR), Intermediate Rent, and Key Worker Living Rent (homes let at a discount to local market rents, usually at least 20% lower), and Affordable homes for sale (such as Shared Ownership and Discounted Market Sale).
Councillor Danial Adilypour, Deputy Leader of the Council (Housing, Investment, & New Homes), highlighted the urgency of the situation, emphasizing the council's dedication to providing stable and secure housing for its residents. The programme has already seen progress in 2025/26, including the completion of Fenwick Place, a 27-home development offering 100% social rent, and securing planning permission for Somerleyton Road Phase 2, which will provide 378 homes with 56% affordable provision. A start on site for Somerleyton Road Phase 2 is forecast imminently, with the remainder of the development expected to commence in August 2026.
Several key projects are underway or planned. The 49 Brixton Station Road scheme is set to deliver 288 homes, with at least 40% affordable housing, alongside market facilities and affordable workspace. A start on site for this development is forecast for March 2027, with lease drawdown anticipated by March 31, 2027, and the start on site expected in early 2027/28. Furthermore, partnerships have been established with developers like Countryside Properties and Pocket Living to deliver hundreds of new homes across multiple sites. The New Homes Programme (NHP) prioritizes social rent homes for council tenants. For schemes delivered in partnership with developers and Registered Providers (RPs), delivery methods are assessed on a case-by-case basis to prioritize social rent homes, ensure value for money, and address housing need within the council's financial constraints. For example, the Leigham Court Road scheme with Pocket Living will deliver 15 social rent homes to be owned and managed by the council. The New Homes Hexagon (NHH) Partnership Agreement with Countryside Properties aims to deliver approximately 500 homes across six council-owned sites, with specific details on social rent units to be determined through site-specific Site Business Cases (SBCs) and Development Agreements.
The council also plans to address the rising cost of temporary accommodation by securing more suitable and affordable homes and reducing reliance on nightly paid provision. The council aims to increase the volume and quality of Private Rented Sector (PRS) accommodation to discharge its statutory duties and reduce reliance on costly nightly paid provision. This includes expanding the use of 10-year-plus-one-day leases and considering options for growth via a wholly owned company. The council is also building on the successful delivery of the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) Round 3 by mobilizing LAHF Round 4, which offers £33m to acquire 137 new homes over four years. This program aims to grow the council's stock of good-quality, genuinely affordable homes, primarily family-sized accommodation, to reduce reliance on costly and unsuitable nightly-paid and bed and breakfast provision. Progress has been made in reducing the numbers of households in Temporary Accommodation (TA) from a peak of over 4,800 in February 2025 to fewer than 4,400 as of February 2026.
During the meeting, councillors discussed the importance of robust resident engagement, with plans to involve local communities in the design and development process. Lambeth Council is committed to improving resident engagement across all New Homes Programme (NHP) developments. This includes providing regular updates through Resident Steering Groups, project websites, newsletters, estate drop-ins, independent tenant advisory services, dedicated Resident Engagement Officer surgeries, door-knocking, and other outreach work. Capacity building with members of Resident Engagement Groups is planned to support them in evaluating tenders and engaging more confidently. The council will also include members of the Lambeth Youth Council and facilitate 'meet the bidders' events for residents to view tender submissions and ask questions. Collaboration with stakeholders and agencies to deliver social value initiatives is also a priority. The development partner is required to produce an ongoing engagement plan and a monthly monitoring report detailing their communication and engagement activities. The council will also work with resident groups to design and undertake an annual resident engagement survey, publishing a report on engagement activities, survey results, anonymised equalities and demographic data of participants, and an action plan for the following year. This is further detailed in the NHP Engagement Principles.
The council also noted the need for ongoing viability and value-for-money assessments to ensure no financial risk to the Housing Revenue Account or General Fund, as outlined in the NHP Delivery Monitor.
Further details on the programme's progress can be found in the Public reports pack from the Cabinet meeting on 23 March 2026.
