Wandsworth Tories review Alton Estate regeneration plans

Wandsworth Council's new Conservative leadership is reviewing a regeneration masterplan for the Alton Estate, a project that Labour had intended to deliver with more than half of new homes being affordable. The future of the Roehampton estate's renewal remains uncertain as the council undertakes this assessment.

The masterplan, drawn up by the previous Labour administration, proposed the demolition of 177 homes to create up to 650 new homes, with over 40 per cent designated as council housing and 57 per cent as affordable housing. This approach was supported by 82 per cent of over 1,400 residents who responded to a ballot in October. However, the current Conservative minority administration has declined to commit to proceeding with these specific plans.

Funding and previous schemes

The review comes after the new administration agreed on October 12 to withdraw £9.5m in funding for Portswood Place, a planned building to house a family hub and nursery. Conservative councillor Matthew Corner, cabinet member for housing, cited a £47m funding gap for the masterplan, which he stated relies on £120m of council borrowing. He also noted that the council had secured only 40 per cent of requested funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA).

This contrasts with a previous scheme approved by the Conservatives in January 2022, which involved demolishing 288 homes for 1,108 new homes, including 261, or 24 per cent, affordable homes. That scheme was halted when Labour took control of the council in May 2022, over concerns about its low provision of affordable housing.

Resident concerns

Labour councillor Matthew Tiller urged the current administration to proceed with the masterplan, highlighting a petition with over 1,000 signatures supporting the plans. He read a statement from an estate resident named Charles, who said: "We had real hope that this promised renewal was soon to become a reality, guided by input from a diverse group of residents from the estate. Please do not let this long-overdue renewal get shoved to the sidelines again."

Councillor Tiller also expressed concern that moving services into the existing community hub, rather than building the planned Portswood Place, would not be practical. He stressed the urgency of providing new services and council homes, noting the "record-breaking endorsement of the plans" by residents.

Next steps

Councillor Corner stated that designs remain under review as the council engages with stakeholders, and that residents will have opportunities to share their views before designs are finalised. The administration is also surveying its housing stock to identify investment needs and seeking further GLA grant funding and developer investment opportunities.