The London Borough of Brent in the UK has appointed property developer Wates Residential for a new £23.4m project, which will see the construction of 149 new homes by December 2021.
The Knowles House redevelopment in Harlesden will comprise the construction of two new buildings, which will offer 92 homes for temporary accommodation and 57 for independent living for local, vulnerable residents.
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The housing facility is being provided as part of the council’s Temporary Accommodation Reform Plan, which will see £130m being spent on up to 600 new homes over three years.
Wates Residential South managing director Paul Nicholls said: “Wates Residential is proud to have been chosen as the London Borough of Brent’s trusted partner for the Knowles House redevelopment. We are excited to start work on the project, which will provide much-needed high-quality housing for some of the people who need it most.
“We will be giving back to the community throughout the process, whether that be through our pledge to improve employment opportunities for local people or our passion to teach the next generation about construction. At Wates Residential, our focus is always on not only creating great homes but also delivering lasting legacies for the community through our investment in employment, training and skills.”
Construction is expected to start later this year.
Wates Residential and Brent Council have jointly pledged to offer employment and training opportunities for local residents such as apprenticeships in trade and management roles, as well as a Wates-managed ‘Building Futures’ programme for long-term unemployed adults.
Ex-offenders may also be helped into employment through the project as part of their rehabilitation.
The Wates Group has earlier worked with the borough and Quintain to transform Wembley Park.
