Ealing Council has agreed a deal to buy 110 new homes in Acton, which will be let to council tenants.

The new homes are currently being built on the site of the old South Acton estate by residential developers L&Q and Vistry Group and had been originally intended for to be sold on the open market.

Instead, they will be let to some of the thousands of local families on the waiting list for a socially rented home.   

Council leader Peter Mason said: “This is a bold and necessary step to deliver new homes to let to local people. With almost 7,500 families on the waiting list for a council home, the need for more genuinely affordable homes has never been more urgent. By quickly responding to changing market conditions, we have ensured that by Christmas next year, more than 100 families will be able to start new lives in safe, modern homes where they can thrive.”

The homes are still under construction and will be ready to move into by autumn 2026. Once finished, all properties will be let at genuinely affordable council rents. On average, council rent is less than a quarter of the cost of equivalent private rents.

Tackling the housing crisis

This is the council’s second bulk purchase of homes this year, after it concluded a deal in June to buy almost 200 homes in Southall.  

The deals come at a time when affordable housebuilding across London has sharply declined. After a big spike in labour and materials costs and interest rates in the cost of living crisis, the number of new homes starting to be built in London by councils and housing associations dropped by 91% in between 2022 and 2024.  Private sector developers are also finding the financial viability of projects challenging, and sales rates are slow.

The cost of housing in the borough makes it one of the least affordable places to live in the country. In recent years, the council has seen a record number of people at risk of becoming homeless asking for emergency help. The council is now providing short term emergency housing for more than 2,500 local families, at huge financial cost.

The development in Acton will include a mix of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom homes, with several designed to be accessible for residents with mobility needs.

A firm foundation for families

Councillor Shital Manro, the council’s cabinet member for good growth and new homes, said: “By taking on homes under construction from a developer and letting them to local people at genuinely affordable rates, we are directly tackling the borough’s growing housing crisis. Good homes are more than just a place to live – data shows that by providing a firm foundation, they will make health, good jobs, qualifications, and a happy family life all easier to obtain for the families who move in. Once completed, these high-quality new homes will help us in our mission to create communities filled with pride, identity, and purpose, where people can thrive.”