Apprentices and unemployed to work on £4m Council development scheme

Artist’s impression of the King Edward’s Road Development. Photograph: Hackney Council

A quarter of the building workforce for a new Hackney Council development near Victoria Park will be made up of local apprentices and unemployed people.

Work will soon begin on the £4million scheme on King Edward’s Road, which includes 15 one-to-four bedroom homes for social rent and 17 homes for private sale to subsidise the development.

Social rented properties have rent levels that are significantly lower than market rent and rent levels are set with reference to government rules.

The workforce for Linden Homes, the Council’s chosen development partner for the scheme, will include apprentices and unemployed people recruited through the Council’s Ways Into Work programme.

Planning permission for the development was gained last year. The 15 homes for social renting will be complete by Spring 2016, with those for sale being completed shortly afterwards.

Cllr Philip Glanville, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Amid the housing crisis, we are continuing to deliver new Council homes for social renting as part of a borough-wide programme amid highly challenging financial circumstances, and while supporting local residents into work.”

The scheme contains bicycle storage and two parking spaces for disabled people but otherwise is a car-free development.

The King Edward’s Road development is part of a borough-wide Council housing regeneration programme which aims to deliver more than 2,760 homes for social renting, shared ownership and private sale.