Work is set to begin on the first site of phase of Havering Council's 12 Estates regeneration programme.

Demolition has reached completion on Napier and New Plymouth House, Rainham, as the site is prepared for the development of 126 affordable homes, with a number earmarked for families, and a further 71 homes for private sale targeted at local buyers. All residents who have been moved off the site to enable the regeneration have been guaranteed the right to return.

Havering Council and developer Wates Residential have invested more than £1.3 million in social value in the Havering community during the first phase of work on the site.

Since work began in July 2019, 72 local people have been hired or have benefitted from training initiatives in a huge boost to the Havering economy. As part of the project, over 700 Havering students have also been engaged via activities including site visits, apprenticeships and work experience placements. 

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Cllr Damian White, Leader of Havering Council, said: "I am very excited to celebrate such an important milestone in our partnership with Wates Residential, and to acknowledge the impressive impact that our 12 Estates regeneration project has already made on our local economy. 

"We have barely completed demolition on the Napier and New Plymouth site and have already seen such a significant investment into the things that matter to the borough. Seeing these figures laid out highlights the fact that regeneration is about much more than simply building new homes – we are building a legacy for future generations of local people."

Adrian Fennessy, Operations Director for Wates Residential, commented: "As we finish demolition and move towards the construction phase at Napier and New Plymouth House, it is great to be able to take time to celebrate our excellent social value record to date. We are well ahead of our targets for training, employment and investing in local people, and will use these figures as inspiration to continue our work delivering a borough-wide legacy with our partners, as well as new high quality homes."

This £1.5 billion 12 Estates programme will see around 3,500 high-quality new homes delivered in Havering over the next 12 to 15 years, doubling the amount of council rented accommodation and more than doubling the number of affordable homes. 

(CM/MH)