Wates Residential
Wates to build new homes in Barking and Dagenham

Wates to build new homes in Barking and Dagenham

Wates was selected by Be First to develop over 330 new homes in Barking and Dagenham, as part of an £874 million regeneration of the Gascoigne Estate. This will be the third project Wates has undertaken for Be First in the area, having recently completed 201 homes at Gascoigne West

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Breaking Ground for Ground-breaking Homes

Thermal Earth has begun work on a ground source heating system for 170 sustainable homes in Wales. Specialists in renewable heating and cooling systems, Thermal Earth have recently begun the process of drilling over 100 boreholes at the largest development in the Cardiff Living housing scheme. The boreholes will provide

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New Partnership Will Bring Homes to Bexley

The new partnership between Wates Residential and Orbit will bring a further 42 new homes to the London Borough of Bexley. Already creating more than 700 homes in Bexley, the partnership will further contribute to the redevelopments of a site on West Street in Erith. “We are delighted to be

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Wates Delivers Housing Development

Wates Residential is to deliver a new £27 million housing development at Shuttleworth Road in Wandsworth. The project includes 71 affordable new homes in the borough, supporting Wandsworth Council’s target to build 1,000 homes for local residents. At the ground breaking ceremony Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential, said:

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New Homes to Arrive on the South Coast

200 new homes will be delivered by Wates Residential on the south coast. The contractor has already started work on its Daedalus Village scheme, marking this occasion with a time capsule burial in Lee-on-the-Solent. The site will see the rise of a mix of housing consisting of 120 private homes

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Latest Issue
Issue 326 : Mar 2025

Wates Residential

Wates to build new homes in Barking and Dagenham

Wates to build new homes in Barking and Dagenham

Wates was selected by Be First to develop over 330 new homes in Barking and Dagenham, as part of an £874 million regeneration of the Gascoigne Estate. This will be the third project Wates has undertaken for Be First in the area, having recently completed 201 homes at Gascoigne West Phase 1. The £142 million Gascoigne East Phase 3B scheme will provide 277 apartments, 46 houses and 11 maisonettes as well as new public spaces connecting pedestrian and public transport links, centred around a garden square at the east of the site, as well as delivering £30 million in social value to the area. The build will use modern methods of construction such as offsite production of balconies, bathrooms and utilities cupboards, which will reduce construction time on site. “At Wates we believe everyone deserves a great place to live. This new project will provide huge economic, social and environmental benefits to local people and the local businesses that will be involved, as well as providing safe, healthy and comfortable places for communities to flourish,” said Helen Bunch, Executive Managing Director, Wates Residential. Be First has a strong track record in delivering new, high-quality homes for people and communities in Barking and Dagenham, with the borough named the most affordable for housing in the capital. The latest phase of this major development will complement the award-winning regeneration of the eastern side of the Gascoigne Estate, where Be First is delivering 526 new flats as part of a safer, healthier, and more sustainably designed environment. The wider Gascoigne Estate will include tree-lined public spaces, a new 5,000 sqm park Gascoigne Square along with public art and stunning designs in a mixture of traditional and modern styles. The Gascoigne East Phase 3B project will allow Wates to invest in the local community through the provision of 13 apprenticeships and a minimum of 40 work placements for local people. During the Gascogne West Phase 1 programme, the pandemic inspired Wates to find innovative ways to bring £45 million in social value to the local community including the creation of 21 apprenticeships, 22 work experience placements and £89k of investment in local charities and community causes. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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£690m brownfield development in Northwest London to deliver 1,500 homes

Harrow council’s ambitious plans for over 1,500 homes to be built on three underused sites moved a step closer with the news of a joint development venture with Wates Residential. At least 40 per cent of the new homes are to be shared ownership or affordable housing and will be built on council-owned land in Wealdstone. Harrow council leader Cllr Graham Henson said: “Our work with Wates will benefit countless local people and improve the lives of generations to come. As we begin to emerge from the devastating pandemic, I want this to signal the start of our renewal.” The ten-year initiative will include a new civic centre, commercial space as well as green public spaces at Poets Corner, Peel Road and Byron Quarter. Local residents will be consulted extensively on the proposals with the plans to come forward later this year on phase one of the Byron Corner. Wates Residential executive managing director Helen Bunch said: “The regeneration goes beyond the building infrastructure, and as part of the partnership with Harrow, we are committed to supporting the local community by providing apprenticeships, new jobs, spend in the local community and early careers support for the local schools and colleges.” New jobs and apprenticeships to be generated Wates Residential plans to create more than 300 jobs for local people and 180 apprenticeships in Wealdstone – the former home of the Kodak Harrow plant which closed in 2016. The housebuilder also said it was investing in local companies and environmental initiatives including a tree-planting project. Wates was identified as a preferred bidder to form a development partnership with the council back in September last year. The council’s equity is made up in part by the value of the three development sites it owns plus a top up to match Wates’s investment, which will be found from borrowing. The long-term business case is projected to return £120m. Property finance brokers Hank Zarihs Associates said that property development finance lenders were keen to offer construction loans for mixed-use schemes in locations with good tube and rail connections.

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Breaking Ground for Ground-breaking Homes

Thermal Earth has begun work on a ground source heating system for 170 sustainable homes in Wales. Specialists in renewable heating and cooling systems, Thermal Earth have recently begun the process of drilling over 100 boreholes at the largest development in the Cardiff Living housing scheme. The boreholes will provide ground source heating and hot water to 170 new homes on the former site of Eastern high school. The boreholes will be configured in arrays of shared ground loops which will be connected to individual MasterTherm AQ17i ground source heat pumps installed in each of the properties, giving residents complete control over their own climate preferences and energy usage. The AQ17i from MasterTherm is one of the smallest ground source heat pump models available in the UK, making it a key contender for the replacement of gas boilers in new build residential properties as the gas boiler ban rapidly approaches in 2025. Shared ground arrays provide savings for the installation of highly efficient ground source heating systems and enable installation to be deployed at scale. This solution will play a key part in the UK government target to install 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028, which is part of the 10-point plan to reach carbon net zero by 2050. The Cardiff Living development which is being managed by Wates Residential, has been awarded £4.1m of funding from the Welsh Government Innovative Housing Programme (IHP) and will take energy performance standards to a new level as each of the homes will incorporate renewable technologies and smart energy management systems to reduce the energy demand on the grid, as well as helping to tackle fuel poverty by significantly reducing energy bills. Thermal Earth is working with Cardiff-based sustainable energy services company, Sero to incorporate low carbon technologies into the development of all the new homes including ground source heat pumps, smart thermal storage, electric vehicle charging points, solar panels and smart controls for residents. Sero will provide an innovative grid energy control network that will intelligently draw, discharge and anticipate energy demands, almost completely avoiding the National Grid at peak times.

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New Partnership Will Bring Homes to Bexley

The new partnership between Wates Residential and Orbit will bring a further 42 new homes to the London Borough of Bexley. Already creating more than 700 homes in Bexley, the partnership will further contribute to the redevelopments of a site on West Street in Erith. “We are delighted to be able to continue our award-winning work with Orbit, which has already led to more than 700 new homes in Bexley either being built or in the pipeline. We look forward to getting started on the West Street project, which will not only deliver more crucial housing for the area but will also lead to increased employment and training opportunities for local residents,” said Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential. The £9.4 million scheme will see vacant buildings including a former car parts warehouse replaced with a contemporary low-rise design including seven homes for London Affordable Rent, 14 homes for London Living Rent and 21 homes for Shared Ownership sale. The plans also include a car park with electric charging points and large community garden. The development of the site forms part of Orbit’s long-term strategy for delivering high quality new homes in Erith and the wider region, and will contribute towards improvements to the quality of the streetscape and the overall appearance of the local area. “We are pleased to once again be partnering with Wates to deliver much needed affordable housing to local people in Bexley. Wates understands our aim of ‘building thriving communities’ and we look forward to delivering more high quality homes for local families who need them,” added Shina Olalekan, Head of Development at Orbit. As part of the West Street project, Wates Residential and Orbit have also pledged to provide employment and training opportunities for local residents. It follows Orbit and Wates Residential’s successful regeneration of Larner Road into the award-winning Erith Park in Bexley. The contractor has also been appointed to help deliver Orbit’s proposed £95 million regeneration of the Arthur Street housing estate in Bexley, featuring 280 new homes.

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Wates Delivers Housing Development

Wates Residential is to deliver a new £27 million housing development at Shuttleworth Road in Wandsworth. The project includes 71 affordable new homes in the borough, supporting Wandsworth Council’s target to build 1,000 homes for local residents. At the ground breaking ceremony Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential, said: “Today’s ground breaking event marks an exciting milestone in our delivery of much-needed affordable new homes for local people at Shuttleworth Road. It follows months of collaboration with the Council, members of the community and other local stakeholders to really understand their vision for the area and how we can realise this, both through the design and construction of these homes and looking at ways we can create wider local economic and social value. We look forward to strengthening these relationships as we continue to progress on site.” Wates has been undertaking preparatory works on the site since May 2018. This latest development marks the official beginning of the site’s main construction phase, with completion of the scheme due in the Summer of 2020. “This is another demonstration of our commitment to build 1,000 new homes on our larger development sites, which will help people in the borough buy or rent a home that is right for them. We’re delighted to partner with Wates Residential on this scheme and look forward to strengthening our relationship with them to provide quality housing for local people,” added Wandsworth Council Leader, Ravi Govindia. All social housing that is demolished as part of the regeneration will also be replaced with affordable homes. The completion of these new homes will directly support the borough’s wider Winstanley and York Road Estates regeneration programme by providing affordable homes for those needing to move.

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New Homes to Arrive on the South Coast

200 new homes will be delivered by Wates Residential on the south coast. The contractor has already started work on its Daedalus Village scheme, marking this occasion with a time capsule burial in Lee-on-the-Solent. The site will see the rise of a mix of housing consisting of 120 private homes and 80 affordable homes. Part of the Accelerated Construction Model together with four other national pilot sites, the Homes England initiative was designed to enable the Government to fast-track the building of homes on publicly owned land and diversify housing delivery. “We are very proud to have started work on the Daedalus Village site, which has a rich history and a very promising future, and are pleased that so many people from the local community joined us to celebrate this significant moment with a time capsule burial,” said Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential South. “Through our work, we will not only deliver 200 new high quality homes for local people but will also increase opportunities in the area through our investment in education, training and skills,” he added. Local suppliers will be appointed for the new homes on the south coast, while residents will benefit from the creation of training and educational opportunities, which aim to boost the local economy. This includes 10 apprenticeships, work experience placements for local students and courses aimed at unemployed adults. The homes are expected to be completed in late 2020. Wates Residential is responding to the needs of its customers by developing mixed tenure housing schemes in partnership with both public and private sector organisations. The business covers new-build and partnership housing development activities, reaffirming its long-term commitment to deliver new homes and to help address the UK’s urgent need for new housing. Its partnership housing offer includes building and selling homes to the public, as well as providing affordable homes for social landlords.

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