Redbridge Council welcomes new residents to Old Mill Court

Ambitious plans by Redbridge Council to provide more affordable homes for residents took a major step forward today (Tuesday 16 March) with the official opening of Old Mill Court in South Woodford.

Old Mill Court, consists of 26 two and one-bedroomed properties which are part of the council’s commitment to building 600 quality new council homes. Over 50% of the local families offered a property at Old Mill Court have come from temporary accommodation, imperfect stop-gap housing the council has had to offer due to a lack of quality council houses available as a result of historic underbuilding.

Redbridge Council Leader, Cllr Jas Athwal and Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, Cllr Vanisha Solanki officially opened Old Mill Court, the first project completed in partnership with the council’s delivery partner ENGIE.

Cllr Athwal, said: “These are high-quality homes for local families, with top sustainability standards making them more affordable to heat. We know that there is a housing crisis in London, and we are determined to do all that we can in our borough to help redress the balance so that local people have the stability and freedom to build a better life for their families.”

Cllr Solanki, added: “It is fantastic to see so many happy faces amongst our new residents, most of whom have come from very small temporary accommodation. I spoke to one working mum who is absolutely thrilled to be moving into her brand new flat with her daughter. Temporary accommodation is expensive and doesn’t provide ideal living conditions for local families – often small and outside the borough away from family, children’s schools and support networks. We are working hard to make up for years of underbuilding of council homes so local families, many of whom have been waiting for a house for upwards of 10 years, can enjoy a stable, secure future.”

Dan Germann, Managing Director of ENGIE Places and Communities South commented: “We are pleased to deliver our first project for London Borough of Redbridge, especially one that is so pinnacle to the borough. It’s great to see that the residents are happy with their new sustainable homes. We are proud to provide this scheme of high-quality housing and look forward to continuing our partnership with London Borough of Redbridge to deliver more homes across the borough.