Council announces plans for another 34 new council homes

Sutton Council has announced plans this week to deliver an extra 34 new council homes in Carshalton on a site that has stood empty for the last five years. 

The move is part of the borough’s ongoing programme to build almost 600 brand new council-rent homes over the next five years. Tenants have already moved into state-of-the-art properties at Woodcote Grove in Wallington, Alexandra Gardens in Carshalton, and former council garages in North Cheam and St Helier. 

Works are also currently underway on-site to build a total of 470 homes at:

• Beech Tree Place, Elm Grove and Chalk Gardens in Sutton town centre
• Beddington Lane

The latest scheme, if agreed by councillors at next week’s Housing, Economy & Business Committee, will see a mix of new flats and houses at 71-75 Westmead Road for families and disabled residents currently on the housing waiting list. The scheme will also provide good value for money by reducing the Council’s spend on temporary accommodation for those currently without a home.

The new homes at Westmead are intended to be built to the international Passivhaus standard and help the Council take action on climate change. This means that tenants could look forward to warmer homes in winter, cooler homes in summer and lower energy bills. 

Planning permission was granted in summer 2020 for new homes at the Westmead site, including just 20% for council rent, but works never started. The Council is now proposing to step in and build homes that will be 100% for council tenants.

Councillor Jake Short, Chair of Sutton’s Housing, Economy & Business Committee, said:
“This latest plan for 34 new council homes in Carshalton is all part of Sutton's response to the national housing crisis. We want to build quality and affordable homes for our residents.

“Sutton Council has committed to building almost 600 new council homes in the next five years. The site at Westmead Road will provide desperately-needed homes for families and disabled applicants on our housing waiting list.

“We are really pleased to be able to double the number of family-sized homes at Westmead and a third of them will have three-bedrooms, which is exactly what we know our residents need. Building at Westmead makes sound economic sense, brings a long-unused site back into use and will also improve the local area with new play and communal gardens. 

“We will also be stepping in to deliver much-needed homes: this site previously received planning permission but still sat empty for years. Now that the Council has ownership of the site, we can develop it to provide the homes the 1,000+ households in temporary accommodation in Sutton desperately need.”

ENDS

Note to Editors

• The Westmead scheme has already had £8.16m funding approved by the Greater London Authority
• The proposal is subject to agreement by councillors on the Housing, Economy & Business Committee on 16 September 2025.
• If agreed, a detailed application will then be submitted later this autumn for the Council’s Planning Committee to consider.