Bishop of London opens new £7.5 million Affordable Housing Development in Tower Hamlets

31/10/07

The Bishop of London has opened a new Church of England housing development of 58 brand new properties in a new All Saints Court site in Tower Hamlets.

The £7.5m project provides a mixture of affordable housing for families, couples, single people and those with disabilities in the Tower Hamlets area.

The Housing Corporation has donated over £4m to develop the scheme. The Borough of Tower Hamlets disposed of the site, which was previously owned by the Local Authority, at no additional cost. The completed scheme will score 'very good' under the Eco Homes rating system.

The Bishop of London welcomed this imaginative venture and thanked representatives from the Borough of Tower Hamlets, the Housing Corporation and Southwark and London Diocesan Housing Association (SLDHA) for their partnership with the Church in making this project possible.

Bishop Richard said:

“The Church is continually helping to foster and build communities in so many ways. This is a marvellously direct example of that work. I am delighted that Tower Hamlets residents will benefit from this exciting and inspirational new development. The Church in London is committed to encouraging similar projects elsewhere and to the creation of successful communities."

Local vicar, Fr Alan Wynne, led prayers for the new development at the Flora Close site, which was followed by an address by the Bishop of London who unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.

The SLDHA, was set up in the 1990s by the Southwark and London Diocese to work with Churches over the development of affordable housing. The SLDHA demolished a block of 24 derelict flats to develop the All Saints Court site.