CGI of Plot K1, which will provide 79 new affordable homes for Southwark Council

A significant construction milestone was celebrated on the Canada Water development last week, as the building for the first homes has reached its full height. The “topping-out” of Plot K1 on Roberts Close means British Land is on schedule with its commitment to deliver affordable homes for the area.

Built by contractor McAleer & Rushe, Plot K1 will provide 79 new homes for Southwark Council, 60 of them designated council homes, to help address the pressing need for affordable housing locally. Most of the homes will have two or more bedrooms, making them well-suited for families.

Celebrating the milestone: British Land, Southwark Council, and McAleer & Rushe held a topping-out ceremony on Wednesday 23rd November to celebrate Plot K1 reaching its full height.

Symon Bacon, Senior Development Director at British Land, said: “Plot K1 is the result of a very successful collaboration between British Land, McAleer & Rushe and Southwark Council. This is just the first step in our 53-acre town centre, delivering on our commitment to provide much-needed sustainable, affordable, homes in Canada Water, and now we can see these plans starting to become reality.”

Councillor Darren Merrill, Cabinet Member for Council Homes and Homelessness, added: “I’m so proud that we have reached this important milestone in providing 79 high-quality homes for our local community. These new homes are going up in a wonderful area, surrounded by parks and green spaces, in a place with a rich heritage and history. The wider Canada Water Masterplan will mean that these residents will have a new town centre, leisure facilities and outdoor spaces to enjoy and thrive in”.

Jonathan O’Neill, Senior Director of McAleer & Rushe, said: “As we celebrate this milestone on Plot K1, the first building to ‘top out’ within the Canada Water masterplan, I want to thank British Land and all key stakeholders, including Southwark Council, for their collaborative approach which makes all the difference to a project’s success. We now look ahead to progressing works to the highest quality and its timely completion.”

In line with British Land’s commitment to build a development that’s sustainable now and in the future, all the homes will be net zero embodied carbon at time of completion. They have been built to a zero-waste plan with 99% of construction waste created on Plot K1 recycled on site and all timber used Forest Stewardship Council certified.

Once complete, the homes will be fully electric, eliminating the need for fossil fuels, and a communal roof terrace and ground-floor garden will be planted with pollinator-friendly species, along with bird and bat boxes, help deliver an 866% gain in biodiversity.

To find out more about what’s being built at Plot K1 and the rest of the development, email team@canadawater.co.uk or keep an eye on the Canada Water Masterplan Twitter @CWmasterplan, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels.