Akerman Road, in North Lambeth’s Vassall Ward, is the first directly developed Council housing scheme to be built in Lambeth in 10 years. It’s not a grand scheme in terms of size – nine new homes have been created – but it marks a big step. It’ s a sign of the Council getting back into building as well as working with partners in development.
Housing standards
The scheme includes two kinds of home. The three four-bedroom houses have been built into a Victorian terrace damaged by Second World War bombing 70 years ago. These three have been built to the Passivhaus standard. Passivhaus is a rigorous voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building that means these homes will have very low heating costs and – over time – a minimal carbon footprint. They have also been built to ‘lifetime homes’ standards, meaning they can easily be adapted to people’s changing needs as they grow older, and they meet police ‘secured by design’ standards for crime prevention. The new homes are timber framed and finished in brick and render.
Blue plaque, new look
The six flats – two each of one-bed, two-bed and three-bed layouts – have been created within the listed building that is the old Akerman hostel. They replace the 11-bed-sit hostel without kitchens or bathrooms into flats with gardens. While not built to the Passivhaus standard (because they are retro-fitted), they are better insulated than most standard new build properties. The building keeps its blue plaque commemorating Dan Leno, one of biggest stars of Victorian music hall.
Keys to the door
We expect tenants to start moving in on the week of 23 January. These homes will all be let at council target rent levels and will be shown to residents affected by estate regeneration programmes to help them see the build quality set out for new homes on their estates.
Restoration
The project was designed by Anne Thorne Architects and built by Sandwood Design and Build Ltd – part of the same team who worked on Boatemah Walk – the last wholly Council-developed new build homes over 10 years ago.
“The journey of this building is a great example of how we can use infill to develop new, high standard homes and restore a building back to life” says Lambeth Housing Development Manager Huw Jones.
See more details of the estate regeneration programme
