The Aylesbury Estate was built in the 1960s and 1970s to replace homes damaged by war-time bombing and as a continuation of the slum clearance programme that had started before the war.

We are committed to delivering a masterplan for 3,500 new homes, 50% of which will be affordable. 75% of the affordable homes will be social rented homes and 25% will be shared ownership or shared equity. At least 30% of the homes across all tenures will have three bedrooms or more.

The regeneration is about more than new homes, community facilities and improved open spaces. The partnership is committed to ensuring that local people experience the social and economic benefits of regeneration, such as employment, education and training and improvements in health and wellbeing.

L&Q (another housing association) delivered an earlier part of the regeneration providing 408 homes on Site 1a (Albany Road) and Site 7 (Thurlow Street).

Southwark Council carried out a cost and benefit analysis in 2005. They found that the option to refurbish the existing buildings would be costly but of limited benefit, as it wouldn’t resolve some of the key design problems with the estate buildings and layout. Therefore, redeveloping the whole estate was considered the best option; one which presents long-term benefits for residents and the local area.

Originally, there were 2,758 homes on the estate. There will be more than 4,200 new homes in the redevelopment area, as well as new community facilities, when the regeneration is complete.

Originally, about 7,500 people lived on the estate. Southwark Council estimate that roughly 10,500 people will be able to live in the completed development.

The tenure was 82 per cent council housing and 18 per cent private before the project began.

When complete, it will be 50 per cent private and 50 per cent affordable. 75 per cent of the affordable housing will be social rent or council housing and 25 per cent shared ownership.

The Aylesbury Area Action Plan (AAAP), formally adopted by Southwark Council in 2010, is the statutory planning document which establishes the framework for future development of Aylesbury Estate.

It focuses on the long-term needs of residents: the economy, employment, housing, shopping, transport, open spaces and the overall look of the area. It considers what physical changes are needed in the area that will make a positive improvement to all of these factors.

The document was approved following extensive consultation with residents and can be viewed here https://www.southwark.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy-and-transport-policy/development-plan/area-action-plans-section/aylesbury-aap.

The regeneration is a large project and is expected to take around 20 years. The regeneration is split into phases and information about timelines for the phases will be available on this website as the project progresses. Construction on the first new homes (on the First Development Site) began in 2019 and these will be ready to move into in spring 2022.

Consultation took place with the Creation Trust, which includes representatives of the four Tenant and Resident Associations on the estate. Key concerns raised by the residents were discussed and the approach to managing those concerns was incorporated into the procurement process.

Feedback from the Creation Trust and residents has informed the development of Southwark Council’s requirements at each stage. A focus group of five local residents and the director of the Creation Trust were involved throughout and they also met with and presented information to applicants, helping them further understand community issues/perspectives.

The regeneration of the estate will happen over many years, and Southwark Council will continue to maintain and repair the buildings during this time. Works to the communal areas, particularly the lifts and heating, will be carried out as planned.

Southwark Council has established an Aylesbury neighbourhood team to manage the estate over the period of the regeneration. The team acts as a central point from which a range of services are delivered. The team works with Notting Hill Genesis, partners in community safety, the police and local agencies to make sure that the neighbourhood remains a safe and secure environment for existing residents.

Once homes have been vacated, they may be used to offer temporary accommodation to those in need until the time comes that they must be secured ahead of demolition.

Notting Hill Genesis will provide housing management services for most of the new homes it is building, with clear resident involvement so residents can influence decision-making and management. Southwark Council will be responsible for managing and maintaining highways and some public squares.

There are plans for community engagement in managing the public “non adopted shared spaces”, such as parks and open spaces, through resident involvement. These plans will be developed further as the regeneration progresses.

The First Development Site is split into three packages: A, B and C. Packages A and B (581 homes) will now be built on behalf of Southwark Council. This will help speed up completion of the social housing, increase the number of social rented homes across the First Development Site and regeneration area as a whole, speed up the rehousing of residents on the estate and support the council’s commitment to building 11,000 new council homes by 2043. Package C will be built and managed by Notting Hill Genesis and will be mixed tenure.

Making routes through the estate safer for cyclists and pedestrians has been one of the priorities of the Masterplan. Notting Hill Genesis' design proposal for the Aylesbury area, which has been the subject of extensive local consultation, has sufficient flexibility to comply with the Cycling Strategy. Detailed proposals for each phase of the Aylesbury regeneration will come forward in future years as the development progresses and will have due regard to any policies in place at that point.

All affordable rented homes will be let at social rent rates (similar to council housing rates). This is different from and a lower rate than ‘affordable rent’ which can be up to 80 per cent of market rents. Some homes will be let at market rents through Folio London.

Leaseholders who live on the Aylesbury and are thinking of selling their home at any time are encouraged to contact Southwark Council.

There are many ways to get involved in the regeneration. Visit our dedicated Get Involved section to find out about opportunities.

Creation Trust is dedicated to making sure that residents living on the Aylesbury estate receive the benefits of the regeneration of the area. These benefits are not just new homes, schools, community facilities and a much improved park and open spaces, but the social and economic benefits of regeneration, such as employment, education and training, improvements in health and well being, and a reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour. 
Visit www.creationtrust.org to find out more.