Ground-breaking at the site known as First Development Site C
Notting Hill Genesis brought together members of the community, Southwark Council, GLA and The Hill Group to mark the ground-breaking at the site known as First Development Site C on the Aylesbury Estate.
The highlight was a presentation of awards to local residents John Charnock and Syl Sesay whose designs make up the hoarding around the site. We ran the Aylesbury Art prize competition last year on the theme of ‘past, present and future of the Aylesbury’ to showcase the extraordinary local talent. A panel, made up of Notting Hill Genesis staff, Hill, local artists and community champions then selected six winning artworks across the age categories. Below is a photo of some of the winning artwork on display on the hoarding. Please take a walk along Albany Road to enjoy the residents’ beautiful artwork.
We have been working in partnership with Southwark Council since 2014 on the regeneration of the Aylesbury, which has already seen our first residents moving into what was formerly called Plot 18, including a block designed with the over-55s community living on the estate. The council has since moved residents into new council homes on the First Development Site A.
There were speeches from Notting Hill Genesis, Hill, LB Southwark and the GLA, celebrating this important milestone and recognising the significant contributions of all partners, most notably the local community, in enabling the project to reach this goal. Residents, along with senior staff from each of the aforementioned organisations, helped to break the ground with a golden shovel, marking the start of this next stage of the development.
Notting Hill Genesis’s director of joint ventures, Jake Brodetsky, was there to talk about how the development goes beyond just homes, it’s about the people that live there and the communities they have created. This is shown in the hoarding on display around the site designed by residents who are at the heart of what we do. He also highlighted the progress around other parts of the Aylesbury including the Una Marson library which opened last month and the health centre which will opening soon.
Andy Fancy, managing director at The Hill Group said: “The ground-breaking ceremony for this transformative project at the Aylesbury estate is a true testament to our commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable homes with our partner Notting Hill Genesis. This is an extraordinary project that spans years of work, and it is not just about building homes; it’s about building a brighter future for all who will call it their home. We are thrilled to be marking the start of this next phase, which will bring countless benefits to the neighbourhood for generations to come, and it is wonderful to unveil the artwork on the hoarding, which is a great collaboration from the talented local community.”
Councillor Helen Dennis, Southwark’s cabinet member for new homes and sustainable development, said: “I’m pleased to celebrate the start of the next phase of the Aylesbury Estate redevelopment which will provide hundreds of new homes and support the community here to thrive. Across the First Development Site we are delivering 581 new council homes, and additional social rent, shared ownership homes and community facilities in partnership with Notting Hill Genesis. The hoarding artwork is a wonderful way to celebrate the community here and to create a shared vision of the past and future of the estate.”
Tom Copley, deputy mayor for housing and residential development, said: “Building more of the council and genuinely affordable homes that Londoners need is a top priority for the Mayor. I’m proud that under Sadiq’s mayoralty, City Hall has successfully broken records for affordable housing delivery, including more council homebuilding than at any time since the 1970s.
