The Cabinet of Lambeth Council met on Monday 23 March 2026 to discuss the New Homes Programme Update for 2026/27. The meeting approved the continuation of the New Homes Programme (NHP) for the upcoming year, noting the council's ambition to deliver at least 10,000 new homes over the next decade with a target of 40% affordable housing.

New Homes Programme Update 2026/27

Councillor Danial Adilypour, Deputy Leader of the Council (Housing, Investment and New Homes), introduced the New Homes Programme (NHP) update, highlighting the significant housing need in Lambeth, with over 28,000 households on the waiting list and 4,400 in temporary accommodation. He emphasised the council's commitment to delivering genuinely affordable housing. Progress made in the past year included the completion of the Fenwick Place scheme, which provided 100% social rent homes, planning approval for Somerleyton Road Phase 2, which will deliver 56% affordable housing, and the establishment of the New Homes Hexagon partnership, aiming to deliver over 500 homes. Councillor Adilypour also noted recent completions such as Billy Cox House, providing new social housing for local families.

Councillor Scott Ainslie, Green Group Leader, raised concerns about delays and a lack of progress on several housing sites, questioning the credibility of delivery timelines. He also expressed concern that national and regional policy changes could reduce affordable housing requirements, posing a risk to schemes in the pipeline. Georgina Schueller also addressed the Cabinet, raising concerns about a proposed rent increase, the high expenditure on disrepair litigation, and the use of housing stock for temporary accommodation. She questioned the council's definition of affordability and the transparency of housing data.

Cabinet members reaffirmed their commitment to maximising affordable housing delivery, citing the success at Somerleyton Road as an example of achieving high affordable housing percentages through competitive procurement. Officers confirmed that 359 social rent homes had been delivered since 2017, and highlighted that recent developments in Brixton had provided approximately 55 social rent homes. The use of Right to Buy receipts to purchase properties and support residents in housing need was also noted. The Equity and Justice Panel's endorsement of the NHP was mentioned, with particular reference to its balanced approach to long-term benefits and short-term impacts, and commitments to resident engagement and inclusive design.

Officers explained that the housing pipeline includes both confirmed and indicative sites, which is standard practice for securing funding bids. They also detailed ongoing work with the Greater London Authority (GLA) to secure long-term funding and explored new approaches to increase housing supply, including identifying around 40 sites for a funding bid. The council's partnership approach to delivery, robust viability testing, and contractual requirements were highlighted as key to delivering affordable housing. The schemes are expected to generate employment and training opportunities, with local residents actively involved in procurement, planning, and co-design processes. Environmental sustainability and achieving net zero carbon are embedded in all developments, with schemes assessed on whole-life carbon impacts.

The Cabinet resolved to approve the projects and workstreams for the New Homes Programme (NHP) in 2026/27, noting the council's ambition to enable the delivery of at least 10,000 new homes over the next decade with 40% affordable housing. They also noted that viability and value-for-money assessments would be completed for all NHP schemes to ensure no financial risk to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) or General Fund (GF).