Residents vote ‘yes’ in first estate regeneration ballot following new London rules

News15 Nov 2018Sarah Williams

The first ballot of its kind under new rules introduced by the mayor of London earlier this year has seen residents vote in favour of the redevelopment of their estate.

Residents have voted in favour of plans to regenerate Westhorpe Gardens and Mills Grove Estate

Sadiq Khan introduced the new policy in July this year, requiring resident ballots to be carried out for proposed major estate regeneration schemes involving the demolition of social homes before they can receive funding from City Hall.

Now the first ballot to take place, administered by Electoral Reform Services on behalf of Metropolitan Thames Valley (MTVH), has seen residents vote in favour of regeneration on their north London estate.

The ballot took place at the Westhorpe Gardens and Mills Grove Estate, in Barnet, between 15 October and 5 November following a series of community consultation events.

Of the 71 of 108 residents who turned out for the ballot, 53 (74.5 per cent) voted ‘yes’, and 18 (15.25 per cent) ‘no’ to the proposal for regeneration.

The proposed redevelopment would see the 1970s social rent homes on the estate, comprising 15 houses and 87 flats, transformed into a mixed-tenure community of around 250 homes. This would include 102 new replacement social rented homes and more than 100 homes for a mix of affordable rent, shared ownership and over-55s retirement living.

Eighty per cent of the additional homes are intended to be affordable, and a number of retirement living properties will also be for market sale, MTVH said.

The group will submit a detailed regeneration application to Barnet Council over the coming months.

Geeta Nanda, chief executive of MTVH, said: “We are delighted that the majority of residents voted ‘yes’ and put their trust in us to place them at the heart of our proposals for the renewal of their estate.

“We have secured not only their consent, but their input too following extensive consultation. This positive ballot result is really good news for everyone involved – it presents an opportunity not only to deliver new, better quality homes for our existing residents, but also to provide additional housing that is so desperately needed within the borough.”