The delivery is now underway of 68 new affordable homes in St Paul’s Cray, Orpington, following the appointment of The Hill Group as partner contractors to carry out the works.
The redevelopment commencing at the Bellegrove site, which sits opposite St Paul’s Cray Library, is further progress for the council’s ‘Bromley Homes for Bromley People’ programme, delivering affordable housing to let to residents on Bromley’s housing register. The development will consist of one, two and three-bed homes with the majority being social rent housing, with rent set around 50 per cent of local market rent.
Site set up is currently underway ahead of demolition work commencing in March, with the new housing expected to be delivered by late 2027. The development will provide outdoor children’s play space, car and cycle parking, and landscaping improvements, including the creation of a corridor of green space running through the site leading to Hoblingwell Wood Recreation Ground. Wheelchair-accessible and supported living units are also being provided.
Councillor Yvonne Bear, Executive Councillor for Renewal, Recreation and Housing, said: "I am delighted we are getting underway with building this much-needed affordable housing for Orpington and the borough. We continue to face substantial pressures in providing housing for homeless residents and their families. So the more developments like this that we can deliver at manageable sites across the borough, the better we are able to ensure our residents have secure, long-term housing, while also boosting the local housing supply.”
Harvey Dhami, Regional Director at award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group, said: “We’re proud to be partnering with Bromley Council to deliver these much-needed affordable homes in St Paul’s Cray. Bellegrove will provide high-quality, energy-efficient homes that are designed to meet a range of local needs, alongside green spaces that enhance the wider neighbourhood. We look forward to working closely with the council and local stakeholders to bring this development forward and create homes residents can be proud of for years to come.”
The Bellegrove development was the eighth to receive planning approval in the Bromley Homes for Bromley People programme. Sites across the borough are continuing to progress in this programme, with further options constantly being sought to help meet the borough’s housing needs.
The Bromley Homes for Bromley People programme provides homes for Bromley residents on the housing register at a range of social rent and affordable rent levels, meaning rents are set at 80 per cent of local market rent or lower. By building homes intended for this range of rent levels, the council makes best use of its land and resources, including by accessing more grant funding opportunities, as these are often only available for building properties at specific rent levels.
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For media enquiries, please contact James George, Public Affairs, on 020 8313 4565 or email james.george@bromley.gov.uk
Editor’s notes
The Hill Group have won the WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year award three times, most recently in 2023.