Families in the borough have started moving into their new homes after the completion of a new housing development in Perivale.

More than half of the 41 new flats in Buckingham Avenue, created by housing association Broadway Living Registered Provider (BLRP) in partnership with Ealing Council, will be let at genuinely affordable rents to tenants on the council’s housing register. The rest are available as shared ownership.

Noor AL-Bayati and her 3 children have moved into their new 3-bed home at Buckingham Avenue.

“I feel incredibly grateful and excited about my new home. The move has been a fresh start and a big step forward for us as a family,” Noor said. “My new home has made a huge difference, it’s stable, comfortable, and gives us peace of mind and a sense of security. It’s a place where we can grow and build long-lasting memories.”

When asked about what she liked most about her new home, Noor added: “I especially love the open layout and how much natural light pours in. It feels so cosy and welcoming. The bike storage is very useful and it’s great to have a secure spot for the kids’ bikes so they can ride and play freely whenever they want.”

New homes to strengthen the neighbourhood

This new development transforms underused space at the heart of the existing Buckingham Avenue council estate with four new 2- and 3-storey apartment blocks.

As well as a mixture of 1, 2, and 3-bed flats, the site also now hosts a new community centre and caretaker facility, along with new car parking for existing residents, cycle storage, and landscaped gardens.

Part of the funding for these homes came from a £109 million grant from the Greater London Authority (GLA) which was awarded to the council in 2021.

Affordable housing crisis

There has long been a chronic shortage of reasonably priced housing in the borough. Its beautiful open spaces, outstanding schools, and fantastic transport links, makes the borough a highly desirable place to live, and its population increased by 15% in the 10 years to 2023. And, in the last year alone, private rents have risen by almost 15%.

A ‘double-whammy’ of increased demand and reduced supply has made it one of the least affordable places in London for housing. This has led to the highest ever rate of requests for emergency housing help that the council has ever experienced.   

In response, it is running one of the biggest council homebuilding programmes in the country. The new homes to let in Buckingham Avenue will count towards the council’s target of delivering thousands of new genuinely affordable homes to let by 2026.

Affordable for average incomes

Ealing Council leader Peter Mason said: “We are in the midst of a national affordable housing crisis, and there is a chronic shortage of affordable homes here. These high-quality, energy-efficient new homes to let will put a dent in our target of building more genuinely affordable homes in the current council term, and will provide 25 local families with the stable, secure, genuinely affordable home they need for a better quality of life.”

Councillor Shital Manro, the council’s cabinet member for good growth and new homes, added: “These new homes will help us deliver on our pledge to create strong and thriving communities filled with pride, identity, and purpose. By putting inclusivity, quality, and functionality first, we are creating a community that reflects the diverse needs of our residents. With great transport links, some of London’s best parks and green spaces, and outstanding schools, our borough is and will continue to be a great place to live.”

The homes have been delivered by the council’s subsidiary housing company, Broadway Living, which was set up by the council to help build more affordable homes for the borough.   

BLRP chair, Val Bagnall said: “Broadway Living is delighted to have completed the construction of these much-needed affordable homes for local people. Working in partnership with Ealing Council, who provided a loan of £10.18m of the costs, and the Greater London Authority, who provided £2.85 million of grant, with our contractor, Bugler Homes, we have delivered 25 London affordable rent and 16 shared ownership energy efficient dwellings which will be great places to live.”