Croydon, Keeley Heights

25+ storey, affordable housing development project

The proposed redevelopment of the site forms part of the island bordered by Keeley Road to the northeast and southeast, Drummond Road to the northwest and Frith Road to the southwest. Keeley Nursery, an integral part of the site, has been serving the community since 2011 and remained open for key workers through the Covid pandemic, employing 16 staff and catering for 75 children. 

There are blocks of flats up to 11 stories high comprising 95 private apartments facing Firth Road and Drummond Road that have been sitting vacant for over 5 years whilst outside cladding was removed.

The island site is a focal point in the area unfortunately properties sitting vacant adjacent to Keeley House and the lack of urban development has seen the appearance of the area degraded and the community atmosphere greatly diminished. 

Mukesh’s vision of redeveloping the Keeley House site would put the community front and centre, delivering an iconic 26-story building in West Croydon, 100% affordable housing with a nursery servicing its residents.

UK 'doesn't have enough builders' for Labour's 1.5m homes

Michael Race Business reporter, BBC News

The UK does not have enough construction workers to build the 1.5 million homes the government has promised, industry leaders have warned.

Tens of thousands of new recruits are needed for bricklaying, groundworks and carpentry to get anywhere near the target, they told the BBC.

The Home Builders Federation (HBF), along with the UK's largest housebuilder Barratt Redrow said skills shortages, ageing workers and Brexit were some of the factors behind the shrinking workforce.

The government confirmed there was a "dire shortage" of construction workers but said it was "taking steps to rectify" the problem.

Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer repeated the pledge he made soon after taking power to deliver 1.5 million new homes in England by 2029.

And on Thursday he unveiled sweeping changes to the planning system and vowed to override "blockers" standing in the way of building the new homes.

Biggest housebuilder Barratt cuts target just as Labour promises more homes

Ian King Business presenter

One of the very few specific targets that the Labour Party set itself in its election manifesto was a promise to "get Britain building again, creating jobs across England, with 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament".

Rachel Reeves, the new chancellor, laid out earlier this week how the new government plans to achieve this target, equivalent to building 300,000 homes a year, a total not achieved since the 1960s.

Mandatory local targets on housebuilding - abandoned by Michael Gove, the former levelling up, housing and communities secretary, amid pressure from Conservative backbenchers - will be restored, while planning restrictions on developing parts of the green belt will be relaxed. The new government has also made clear it will "not be afraid" to overrule local authorities.

It's all ambitious stuff.