New discount homes on the way for Wandsworth - in Europe’s tallest residential modular tower

The 27-storey Mapleton Crescent development will deliver 53 homes for local first-time buyers to be sold outright at a discount of at least 20%, and 36 two-and-three-bedroom open market Pocket Edition homes. 

The green ceramic facade is the finishing touch to the Metropolitan Workshop-designed tower, created in conjunction with artist Loraine Rutt, who specialises in ceramics. The striking design recently won a New London Architecture Award.

The homes will also feature large bike stores with lockers and changing areas, a residents’ lounge and 23rd floor roof terrace available to all residents.

The development is Pocket Living’s first in Wandsworth and the fourth to be built using the latest modular construction techniques, which sees completed flats being assembled by Vision Modular Systems at their factory in Bedford before being transported to site and installed with cranes. 

The use of modular construction on the site has shaved around six months off the tower’s total build time and is expected to see the project completed in summer 2018.

Pocket Living is supported by a public and private finance partnership worth £150 million with the Mayor of London, the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), and Lloyds.

Pocket homes are built for singles and couples on incomes of around £21,000 each, or £42,000 when combined together. Potential buyers must have a household income under the Mayor of London’s affordable housing threshold and be first time buyers, with the same criteria applied for the next buyer of the property.

The homes are currently on sale with prices starting at £225,000.

Cllr Govindia said: “For nearly four decades Wandsworth has been at the forefront of enabling people to buy their first home, and Pocket Living’s pioneering development is a great example of this.

“Our top priority is supporting the development of more new homes, and Mapleton Crescent’s modular construction not only makes use of innovative techniques that have proved popular in Europe, but also take months off the total time taken to build.

“This is an exciting time for Wandsworth town centre, with hundreds of new homes being built, a new library, improved college facilities, and new shops.”

Marc Vlessing, Pocket Living Chief Executive Officer, said: "It’s fantastic to see Wandsworth’s latest landmark come to life. Affordable housing needn’t be run-of-the-mill – Pocket homes are evidence of this, and Mapleton Crescent SW18 is just the latest example. Delivering both style and substance, Mapleton will give hardworking local Londoners on moderate incomes a real chance to get a foot on the housing ladder.

“Looking ahead to this week’s Budget, it’s clear that we need intelligent solutions to meet the challenges posed by a stubborn housing crisis. With the recent backing of the Mayor of London, HCA and Lloyds, Pocket can continue to innovate through its unique model, award-winning design, and cutting-edge construction techniques.”

Interested? Register with the council's Home Ownership team - contact housesales@wandsworth.gov.uk or telephone (020) 8871 6161.