Estates may go private

South London Press

Estates may go private

Mar 11 2005

TWO estates are due to be transferred out of council ownership later this month.

The Kennington Park and Bridge estates in Oval, Lambeth, are to be transferred into the hands of a private housing association in just over a week.

Fifty-seven per cent of residents voted in favour of the "stock transfer" in June last year.

Tenants were more favourable of the transfer than leaseholders who had purchased their homes from the council under "right to buy" legislation.

The transfer plan goes before Lambeth council's executive on Monday for final approval. As soon as council leaders give the proposal the nod, an application will be sent to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister seeking consent to dispose of the estates.

The 848 homes will then be transferred to Hyde South-bank Homes on March 21. The housing association plans to invest £20million in the estates over three years.

The work programme includes new kitchens and bathrooms for each home, as well as upgraded security and environmental improvements. This is expected to bring estate homes up to the Government's "Decent Homes Standard", a mandatory target to insure social housing meets minimum standards.

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