Planning permission has been granted to create 45 new homes for older people and adults with learning disabilities at Acre Road.
Kingston Council has been granted planning permission to develop 45 new affordable homes for older residents and adults with learning disabilities at Acre Road. This milestone marks a significant step in the borough’s efforts to provide inclusive and sustainable housing solutions for its residents.
The new development will not only offer much-needed homes but will also enhance the area with a new pedestrian path, improved biodiversity, and extensive tree planting. Designed by architects Levitt Bernstein, the project prioritises high-quality, sustainable, and carbon-neutral living spaces. The homes will be spacious, dual-aspect, and include fully adapted wheelchair-accessible units, ensuring they cater to a diverse range of needs.
Regenerating the vacant former care home site on Acre Road presents an opportunity for the council to optimise the use of its assets. The affordable homes will contribute positively to Kingston’s housing targets, ensuring that development is aligned with local needs. The project underscores the council’s commitment to creating a balanced and inclusive community while addressing the growing demand for housing.
Demolition of the existing site is already underway and is expected to be completed by May 2025. Following recent committee approval, the procurement process to appoint a construction partner will commence soon, with construction anticipated to begin in the autumn of 2025.
Councillor Emily Davey, Portfolio Holder for Housing, expressed enthusiasm about the project’s approval, stating: “It’s exciting for us to be able to deliver projects like this—truly affordable homes, at council rent levels, for some of our most vulnerable residents. We want to increase opportunities for people to live a happy and healthy life, and meeting the growing housing needs and aspirations of our residents is an important part of that.”
“At Acre Road, we will be creating council homes that allow people to live as independently as possible while also reducing carbon emissions. Building sustainably for individuals and the environment is a great achievement.”
Irene Craik, Director at Levitt Bernstein, highlighted the project’s impact, saying: “We’re so pleased to have secured planning consent for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames to support their affordable homes programme. The scheme at Acre Road will provide inclusive and accessible homes for local older residents and adults with learning disabilities in a setting that promotes community and support, and enables independent living. Importantly, the residents choosing to move into the later living homes will also help to free up much-needed larger family homes in the borough.”
