Waltham Forest Council has secured Legal & General Affordable Homes as the new investor to redevelop the Avenue Road Estate in Leytonstone, reviving a scheme that stalled when the previous contractor walked away.
Bellway Homes pulled out of the regeneration in 2023, arguing it was no longer financially viable. Residents of the estate's 242 ageing flats, spread across five blocks, have pushed for regeneration.
What the first phase delivers
The first phase will see the construction of 116 social homes and a new community space. According to the Waltham Forest Echo, it will cost around £3.8 million. Work is due to begin in mid-2027, and residents can expect to move in by early 2030.
A second phase would add a further 501 homes, including 126 social homes, along with communal space. Plans for that phase are expected to come before the council in late 2027.
Why the council says it must act
Councillor Eva Tabbasam, deputy council leader and cabinet member for housing, said the current buildings were "at the end of their lives" and that the council had a "responsibility to address challenges and create homes fit for the future". The new homes are intended to be more efficient to heat and better for residents' wellbeing and for the environment.
The estate has been described as plagued with "overcrowding, leaks, disrepair, sewage, drainage, pipework and flooding problems", alongside antisocial behaviour. Residents have spoken of feeling left behind, and of their frustration after Bellway's exit.
"We want Avenue Road to be a place where residents feel safe and happy to live without the current sinking feeling," residents said.
The trade-offs ahead
With the first new homes not expected until 2030, residents face several more years in the existing blocks. The second phase is larger: 501 homes, of which 126 would be social housing. How it is balanced will be decided when those plans reach the council in late 2027.
