John Lewis to introduce first ever housing rental development above Waitrose store in Bromley, South London
The introductory John Lewis housing development will consist of 353 new built to rent homes above a modernised store.
The housing building will be 24 storeys tall, and will have surrounding public green spaces, a cafe, and amenity spaces.
The company is looking to broaden their horizons
Initially announced as one of three proposals in 2022, this is the first housing project undertaken by the company.
John Lewis invited local people in for rounds of consultation to ensure that the local population was happy with the development, and that additional homes could be delivered in the best manner possible.
The move comes after John Lewis announced a desire to help with the national housing crisis and support local communities.
The John Lewis housing development will be part of a joint venture
The Investment Firm abrdn will co-operate on the development with John Lewis, along with other developments representing a £500m investment into 10,000 homes over the next few years.
Abrdn’s head of operational real estate, James Dunne, said: “Well designed and professionally managed rental homes are a vital component in helping to solve the UK’s housing needs.
“Build-to-rent on brownfield sites such as this can also act as an anchor for town centre regeneration and wider community investment. We look forward to continuing working closely with JLP to move forward with our strategy.”
John Lewis hopes to see, when the homes are filled, the homes give the local area a boos tin council tax and local spending, contributing to the economy.
John Lewis’ Director of BTR, Katherine Russell, said: “We’re delighted that the elected members have agreed with the recommendations of their planning officials and after receiving significant support from the residents of Bromley. This now gives us the opportunity to enhance the local area, create vital new housing for the local people of Bromley and deliver a state-of-the-art Waitrose, which sits at the heart of the community.”
