Gateway Housing Association and St William (a Berkeley Group company) have announced a new deal to deliver the first 84 social rent homes at Regent’s View on the Canal, a major regeneration project in the heart of Bethnal Green.
The homes, now under construction, are expected to be completed by 2026. They will be allocated to residents on Tower Hamlets’ waiting list, including households currently living in temporary accommodation.
A substantial portion of the homes will be three and four-bedroom family-sized properties with spacious living and dining areas.
Regent’s View on the Canal is being developed on a long-derelict gasworks site. The vision for the project is to create a vibrant neighbourhood with 555 homes, of which 35% will be affordable, as well as over 45,000 square feet of commercial and community space, bringing additional retail, food and beverage, and office opportunities to the area.
The masterplan, meticulously designed by RHSP, includes the careful restoration of two distinctive Victorian gasholders, which will serve as historic centrepieces of Regent’s View on the Canal, reflecting the site’s industrial heritage and the unique character of Bethnal Green.
The development will feature five colourful, finely detailed cylindrical buildings, two of which will be integrated within the restored gasholder frames.
The project will also open up a stretch of Regent’s Canal that has been inaccessible for over 150 years. This once-derelict site is being reintegrated into the local community, creating nearly two acres of public space, including a children’s play area and natural habitats for both people and wildlife to enjoy.
Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman said: “I strongly welcome these new homes for social rent. Tower Hamlets is at the sharp end of the housing crisis, and we seriously need more homes. What’s also important for me is that these new social rent homes are three and four-bedrooms. We have far too many families living in overcrowded homes, and so these properties will go some way to helping people live healthier and happier lives.”
Kate Franklin, CEO at Gateway Housing Association said: “We’re very pleased to have established such a productive partnership with St William. These new homes will help us meet our ongoing commitment to developing thriving communities and places that people feel proud to live in within our heartland of Tower Hamlets.’
Rhiannon Meredith, Interim Head of Development at Gateway Housing Association said: “Gateway is pleased to be working with St William again to deliver much-needed affordable homes to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Regent’s View on the Canal brings a derelict industrial site back into community use, providing the high-quality public realm, architecture and family accommodation that our residents want.
“St William’s focus on placemaking means that the regeneration delivers a fully functional neighbourhood, and we are thrilled to be playing our part in its delivery.”
Dean Summers, Divisional Managing Director of St William, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Gateway and Tower Hamlets Borough Council to deliver more of the affordable homes that London urgently needs. Gateway shares our core values and commitment to the highest standards of placemaking and build quality. It has been a great pleasure to collaborate with them on both Regent’s View on the Canal and Bow Green.”