Building homes, creating opportunity

It has been an exciting few weeks with some key achievements linked to our economic growth here in Sutton. We have started work on 34 new council homes at Westmead Road in Carshalton, transforming a long-vacant former timber yard into high-quality housing. These homes are being built to the strict Passivhaus energy-efficiency standard to keep residents' bills low and will include a mix of maisonettes for larger families and flats designed for wheelchair users.

This project is a major part of our plan to deliver over 600 new council homes by 2028. Sutton is currently leading the way in London; in the first half of 2025-26, our borough accounted for 30% of all new council home starts across the entire capital.

A good home is the foundation for a successful life, but we also want to ensure every resident has the chance to find a rewarding career. To support this, we have launched Connect to Work, a new five-year programme managed by the South London Partnership. This initiative is designed for Sutton residents who may need extra help finding a job due to a disability, a health condition, or other complex personal challenges.

The service provides one-to-one support from specialists to help with CVs, interviews, and travel planning. It also helps people who are already working but might be at risk of losing their job, helping them stay employed and progress. We are even linking our building projects directly to these opportunities by using sites like Westmead Road to provide local training and apprenticeships. 

By building more homes and providing better job support, we are making Sutton a fairer and more prosperous place to live. If you or someone you know needs help finding or staying in work, I encourage you to sign up for the Connect to Work scheme today.

Councillor Jake Short
Chair of the Housing, Economy and Business Committee