Delivering a new generation of council homes for our community
Haringey Council has launched an ambitious home-building programme that is delivering the first new council homes in a generation, with as many as possible built on existing council-owned land.
Our aim is to build 3,000 new high-quality council homes by 2031 and work has already started or been completed on more than 2,000 homes across Haringey. This is an important priority for our borough, as for many of those in the greatest need, a council home offers their only real chance to put down roots in Haringey.
Placemaking is an important part of our home-building programme: all our housing schemes will be built with sustainability at their heart to tackle the climate change emergency and will deliver improvements which the whole community can enjoy.
See the full list of sites where we are building new homes in Haringey
View the site locations in Google Maps
Visit our community engagement website for details of where we are building and proposing to build new homes.
Our Neighbourhood Moves Scheme gives existing secure council tenants priority for new council homes being built near them.
Hear what a resident has to say about the experience of moving into her new council home:
An award-winning team
We have a team of 40 development professionals, technical specialists, engagement experts and experienced council staff building our first council homes in a generation.
Our housing delivery team is award-winning and has received various awards for housing delivery schemes including Inside Housing's 'Best Development Team – Urban, 2023'.
We also have a ‘grow your own’ employment and training initiative which combines on-the-job learning, mentoring and shadowing with formal training. One of the first cohorts, a local resident, was named Woman of the Future at the Women in Housing Awards 2022.
Sustainable, high-quality housing
All our new homes are built where possible from sustainable materials, are well-insulated and energy-efficient. This can include innovative air source heat pumps, solar panels and the provision of energy-efficient appliances.
Our developments aim to achieve a net carbon-zero footprint and, where possible, seek to deliver enhanced green spaces and biodiversity improvements that benefit the whole community. This can involve extensive high-quality landscaping, new tree planting, bat-bird boxes and green roofs.
Each new development will be built to the highest possible standards, with spacious rooms in our homes and security provisions in our blocks to prevent crime.
Improvements the whole community can enjoy
Placemaking is a vital part of our home building programmes: we want to ensure our housing schemes complement the existing community and deliver other improvements that will help the wellbeing and health of all residents. On some schemes we are building new playgrounds for children across the local area to enjoy.
Our Borough Plan also makes a commitment to build and retain wealth in our community. Amongst other things, this means every public pound spent must provide maximum public benefit. We always aim to buy goods and services locally to make sure that all of Haringey – businesses and residents – benefit from this new era of council home delivery. Our programme also includes converting vacant shops or derelict buildings into brand new homes: removing unsightly eyesores from local streets and putting buildings back into positive use.
Bespoke homes
An important part of our needs-led approach to solving the housing crisis in Haringey is the bespoke home programme: this involves our expert housing team co-designing individual new homes to meet the needs of residents with specific complex disabilities or other health related challenges.
Around a third of residents in the greatest need on Haringey Council's housing waiting list have a disability, or a family member with a disability, currently living in homes that are overcrowded or do not meet their medical requirements.
To address this important demand, one in five of our new homes will be wheelchair accessible and/or adaptable. In many of our developments, we are proposing blue badge spaces for vehicles to support families who require home based care or accessible parking provision.
For many residents with specific health needs, the Council will aim to incorporate specific adaptations for households. This can involve shaping the design of the homes to the direct requirements of an individual or their family, including the layout of the rooms, the placing of interior walls and the adaptability of bathrooms. At the heart of the bespoke programme is co-operation and partnership with residents, who are involved in discussions at an early stage of the housing design process to ensure their future home is fit for purpose.
This approach has the potential to change the lives of some of our most vulnerable residents. Ms Mohamoud, whose home was designed to meet the specific needs of her daughter, said:
"When I saw the finished look with all the changes I had requested I couldn't believe my eyes, it brought me to tears and most definitely left me gobsmacked. My family were also filled with excitement and joy, we finally realised at that point it was going to be our happy home, the children and I couldn't wait to decorate their spacious rooms."
Supporting vulnerable residents
Our programme includes supported housing for vulnerable groups in our borough who need help in their homes for a variety of reasons. In October 2021, we became the first borough in London to deliver new modular housing for residents with a history of homelessness and rough sleeping at Olive Morris Court. This new development offers on-site support to help residents move into independent living, including employment and health-related advice.
We will also be delivering new homes, for example at Kerswell Close, for older residents who require help around their homes, while at Barbara Hucklesbury Close, the development will provide care for residents with mental health needs. Other projects are looking to provide accommodation specifically for young people.
With placemaking being central to our approach, many of our schemes are designed with welcoming, green communal areas, such as tree-lined courtyards and quiet gardens. Offices and facilities for care staff are also provided on-site in some cases to help bring support closer to residents.
Paying for the new homes
The government’s decision to remove the cap on councils borrowing in their Housing Revenue Accounts (HRA) has made a big difference to our ability to deliver these new homes.
No amount of borrowing changes the fact that due to the rent levels, every new council house needs hundreds of thousands of pounds in subsidy to stack up financially. That’s why funding for new council housing from the Mayor of London is just as important in transforming how we deliver homes in Haringey.
Our successful bid for funding from the Mayor of London means that we have received £189.8m in capital grant funding from the Greater London Authority to deliver the council homes the borough needs.
Even with the funding from the Mayor, we don’t have all the subsidy we need. This means we will build a mix of different homes which includes some for sale on the private market. Our commitment is that we will only do this to cross-subsidise the delivery of the greatest possible number of council-rented homes.
Have your say
We believe it is important that new housing in Haringey is developed in partnership with the neighbouring community so that it reflects the needs and aspirations of local residents.
Before submitting a formal planning application and building new homes, Haringey Council seeks the views of the community through local consultation and engagement with residents, community groups and ward councillors.
Please see our consultations page for current and recent conversations with the local community across Haringey.
Further reading
