Developing new homes in Croydon

Building new homes

Croydon is growing rapidly and our population will soon exceed 400,000. In 2017 alone approximately 5,000 properties were built in the area around East Croydon Rail Station. The Local Plan requires us to build 32,890 new homes across the borough by 2036.

An increasing population means residents’ financial means and housing needs are varied - so there is no single answer to housing issues. People need homes they can afford and the council seeks to achieve a minimum of 30% affordable homes on larger developments. We’re also providing more much-needed homes through Brick by Brick, Croydon Affordable Homes and Community-led housing.

Brick by Brick

In 2016 Croydon Council established Brick by Brick to accelerate delivery of new homes for Croydon residents, with both private and affordable properties to buy and rent.

Brick by Brick is now a multi-award winning development company working on around 2000 new homes on multiple sites throughout the borough. These sites tend to be old garage sites, car parks, vacant buildings of open space infill sites on council estates.

The Brick by Brick model is designed to maximise the return from development activity to local residents, while also addressing housing need. All profits are returned to the council as sole shareholder to be reinvested into services for the benefit of the borough.

Half of the new homes built by Brick by Brick will be affordable and all units are available solely to Croydon residents for two months before becoming available to people outside the borough.

Brick by Brick is committed to working with local contractors and sub-contractors and promoting the employment of local people through Croydon Works.

Croydon Affordable Homes

In July 2017 the council set up Croydon Affordable Homes (CAH) to provide homes for Croydon residents that cost no more than 65% of the average market rent. CAH was created as an independent charity so it could use around £30m in Right To Buy sales receipts, set affordable rent levels and give priority to borough residents.

All rooms in the CAH-run homes meet the Mayor of London’s space standards, and tenants get an assured shorthold contract of up to 3 years instead of the usual 6 months with private landlords.

In return for council funding that makes the properties available, CAH repays Croydon through both the rent it receives and external investment.

By November 2018 the council had bought more than 150 homes, mainly 2-and-3-bedroom flats and houses, available for Croydon families previously in temporary accommodation. In addition, nearly 300 new-build affordable rented properties will be delivered for CAH through Brick by Brick – including a block of 90 new homes under construction on the site of the former council offices, Taberner House.