More than 100 new, genuinely affordable, high‑quality homes are now available in Acton – and the development is the first in the UK to solely house women.
Brooke House has 102 flats for social renting, replacing the outdated 39-home estate that previously occupied the site. The new development also includes communal spaces and landscaped gardens.
Ealing Council currently has more than 6,000 households waiting for a socially rented home in the borough, and more than 600 of these are single women or women-only households.
Safe and secure
Around 40% of the new safe, secure and modern homes will be allocated to women-only households from the council’s housing waiting list. This will include essential workers such as teachers, NHS workers, and transport staff. The remainder will be nominated by Women’s Pioneer Housing – one of only 2 housing associations in the country dedicated to women-only homes. It owns the building and will manage it in partnership with housing provider, L&Q.
With the borough acutely affected by the national affordable housing crisis, the flats will be a lifeline for women who are unable to privately rent, particularly as some still face a gender pay gap that sees them on average earn less than men, constraining their ability to afford private rent.
The council provides much-needed new homes for rent in the borough in 2 ways:
- directly building them, like the homes at Buckingham Avenue in Perivale
- using its planning system to ensure as much affordable housing as possible is provided by developments, built either privately or by housing associations like Women’s Pioneer Housing
A milestone moment
Previously known as ‘Brook House’, the name has been amended to ‘Brooke House’, a subtle reference to Emma Brooke, a 19th century novelist and campaigner for the rights of women and workers. A striking mural (pictured right) celebrating women from the past, present, and future in the entrance foyer features Emma Brooke in the forefront of the artwork.
Crucially, the specialist women-only model at Brooke House provides not just affordability, but also a safe environment for those who may be recovering from domestic abuse or struggling to find stable housing.
Nicky Fiedler, Ealing Council’s strategic director of housing and environment said: “Brooke House’s high-quality, modern, affordable homes will change the lives of the women who move into them. For women across west London who need safety and stability, Brooke House stands as a powerful example of how thoughtful development can meet real community need.”
