Orbit Residential Partnership in Erith
Project at a glance
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LocationLondon
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StatusLive
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ClientOrbit
320
new homes
£95m
project value
37
apprentices supported
320 mixed tenure homes built in Erith.
Park East is a £95 million development in Erith, completed in 2023, with Housing Association Orbit in partnership with the London Borough of Bexley.
The project saw 320 new homes built, of which 20% were for private sale, 24% Shared Ownership and 56% for rent to accommodate a mixed tenure community. As a London Borough, purchasers, if eligible, could take up to a 40% equity loan with the Help-to-Buy scheme for the private sale properties.
Providing training opportunities
Together with our partners Orbit, we were committed to providing opportunities for local people to reduce the amount of unemployed people in Erith and surrounding areas and help combat the skills shortage that there is in the industry.
We hosted two bespoke training courses in Bexley, Building Futures and Construct a Career. The courses supported over 100 unemployed adults in gaining valuable practical and theoretical experience in the construction industry.
The programmes involved site visits to Park East and West Street, another of our sites in Erith, basic health & safety and asbestos awareness training and practical carpentry skills before a celebration event on the final day.
The partnership pledge to support local people by providing training opportunities and routes into the workplace is a fantastic part of this new development in Erith.”
Cllr. Teresa O’Neill OBE
Leader of the London Borough of Bexley
Providing employment opportunities
As well as providing training, we provided employment opportunities, which included hiring 37 apprentices and management trainees as well as 68 people in full time employment from the local area.
The redevelopment of Arthur Street will be about more than just bricks and mortar. It will provide an inclusive community for local people who want to live and work in London, but also who want to live in a friendly community.”
Caroline Field
Head of Regeneration, Orbit
Supporting the local community
Throughout our partnership we supported the local community through donations of over £70,000, volunteering and charity work.
This included an IT donation to a local Youth Centre, Active Horizons to help young people who do not have access to computers or WIFI at home with schoolwork or connecting with family and friends.
We are delighted to have received this wonderful donation of IT equipment. It will make an unmeasurable difference to so many residents in Erith including helping individuals to develop digital and employability skills, supporting job searches and enabling the delivery of coding classes for young people.”
Yeukia Taruvinga
Director of Active Horizons
Here in Erith, alongside Orbit, we have laid the groundwork for a vibrant new community by developing warm, modern and spacious homes in a setting that people can thrive in.
We believe that everyone deserves a great place to live, and I hope all the residents here are proud to call Park East home.”
Helen Bunch
Executive Managing Director, Wates Residential
Award winning
The collaboration between Wates and Orbit Homes in the Park East development has been recognised at the WhatHouse? Awards with the Gold Award for Best Partnership Scheme for their regeneration of Park East.
The judges praised the collaborative approach in delivering a thoughtfully designed scheme, with a high level of specification and architectural detail, as well as the palpable community feel that has been generated at what is an exemplar of estate regeneration.
At a local level, Ria Morris, from Wates’ social value team won an Employer and School Partnership award from the GLA and Mayor of London for her work with two SEND schools including workshops and work experience.
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