Monitoring the construction of GLA-funded developments, specifically Mile End estate

Dear Jules,

Monitoring the construction of GLA-funded developments

As you will recall I wrote to you in March 2021 about Londoners who suffer from a lack of support for supervision and enforcement of large-scale developments where the GLA has approved a proposal and set conditions.

Unfortunately, I find myself having to raise similar issues with you again, this time about the problems experienced by residents on a development by Eastend Homes funded by the GLA. The case I am referring to is reference number PA/17/02373 for the Mile End East Estate, London E3, which was approved by Tower Hamlets Council in January 2020 for:

“Construction of 2-storey roof extensions to Buttermere House, Coniston House, Derwent House, Windermere House and Loweswater House; residential conversion of ground level garages to Windermere House and Wentworth Mews; infill units to Levels 1-4 of Windermere House to provide a total of 142 new dwellings; access and servicing including car parking spaces for disabled motorists; cycle parking spaces and incidental works.”

I have attached the Report of the Corporate Director of Place on the Planning Application from 8 July 2019, in which it says:

“Eastend Homes applied to the Mayor of London for grant funding of further intermediate affordable housing (London Living Rent) – Option 2 ‘with grant’ would deliver 78.4% affordable housing by habitable room, with a tenure split of 46% affordable rent to 54% intermediate, providing: 41 affordable rent units at 50/50 split between Tower Hamlets Living Rent and London Affordable Rent, and 58 intermediate London Living Rent units.”

While I cannot determine precisely what funding Eastend Homes received from the Mayor using the Affordable Housing Delegated Approvals (as it still doesn’t provide the information of which grant has been given to which development, despite my repeated Mayor’s Questions requesting this – 2023/4422, 2021/3543, 3544 and 3545) residents tell me that the hoardings around the site have the Mayor’s logo on it and Eastend Homes confirm the funding in their letter.

The residents that have contacted me live in Coniston House, and say:

“The Mayor apparently awarded the funding with no requirement to monitor the project's impact on existing residents or to conduct such an evaluation on completion.
“The damage to the roof affects me and 11 of my neighbours, but the building works have seriously disturbed everyone in the building.
“The demolition work on our roof to enable the construction has shattered our peace for months. However, two months ago, it became apparent that they had catastrophically compromised the roof, and all my neighbours and I have had water flooding into our homes for the past two months every time it rains.
“Our homes have been unable to dry, and mould is spreading everywhere.
“Winter is here, so we now have to choose between airing our homes or staying warm.”

The residents have already sought support from Apsana Begum, MP for Poplar and Limehouse, and the response to her letter from Eastend Homes is attached. Frustratingly for the residents, they contacted me again on 2 January 2024 to tell me that, despite this intervention and Eastend Homes’ promises to deal with the problems, they are still massively inconvenienced by the construction work.

I hope you will investigate the problems that have occurred at this development and consider what intervention you can make with Eastend Homes to encourage them to speedily tackle the problems caused to residents by these GLA-funded works. Separately, I am contacting Eastend Homes to urge them to rectify the situation, and London Borough of Tower Hamlets to carry out enforcement of planning conditions where appropriate.

I look forward to receiving a response from you.

Yours sincerely,

Sian Berry, Green Party Member of the London Assembly