Key Points
- Tower Hamlets Council unveils Mayor’s Accelerated Housing Programme (MAHP), described as among the most ambitious affordable housing schemes nationwide.
- The MAHP aims to fast-track up to 3,332 new homes across 37 council-owned sites over five years, with a clear focus on larger family and accessible homes.
- This initiative supplements the existing commitment to deliver 4,000 genuinely affordable homes by May 2026, with the council on track to exceed this target.
- 28,852 households are currently on the housing waiting list in Tower Hamlets; 13,209 are living in overcrowded conditions, 2,668 are severely overcrowded, and 3,220 households are in temporary accommodation.
- The borough’s population is projected to soar from 323,854 in 2022 to 389,845 by 2032, making it the fastest growing local authority in the UK.
- The council agreed an £8 million budget to progress MAHP to the next stage, including planning consent and pre-application submissions for most sites.
- Tower Hamlets is positioning itself to take advantage of the central government’s £38 billion investment in affordable housing announced in June 2025.
- The programme enjoys partnership with the Greater London Authority, Homes England, investors, and developers to maximise delivery and affordability.
- Recent milestones include the topping out of a 100% affordable social rent building in Bow and approval of 53 new council homes in Bethnal Green East, underscoring continuous progress and commitment to tackling housing pressures.
Tower Hamlets Council has launched a ground-breaking affordable housing programme set to reshape the borough’s housing landscape, with ambitions to outpace national counterparts in both scale and delivery. With an array of new projects and expanded targets, the council aims to address acute housing shortages, support local families, and keep communities intact for generations to come.
What Is the Mayor’s Accelerated Housing Programme and Why Is It Significant?
As reported by the Tower Hamlets Council News Service, the Mayor’s Accelerated Housing Programme (MAHP) represents a transformative leap forward for the borough’s approach to social housing. Approved by Cabinet on 23 July 2025, the MAHP will see up to 3,332 new homes built across 37 council-owned sites within five years, part of an overall target to exceed 4,000 new genuinely affordable homes by May 2026.
The MAHP is distinct for prioritising family-sized, accessible, and high-quality council homes, responding directly to the pressing needs of local residents. It builds on existing commitments and is paired with an ambitious local development plan, designed to unlock thousands more homes by collaborating with private developers and housing associations.
Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, stated through the council’s press office:
“This programme is not just about numbers, it’s about transforming people’s lives. Inadequate housing blights lives – affecting everything from health and education to employment and life expectancy. We are already on track to exceed the target I set of 4,000 affordable new homes, and now the Mayor’s Affordable Homes Programme marks our boldest step yet to meet housing needs in our community and build a fairer future for our residents.”
What Is the Housing Need in Tower Hamlets Today?
According to the Tower Hamlets Council’s figures released on 25 July 2025, the borough faces a housing crisis of rare scale and severity:
- 28,852 households are on the waiting list for social housing
- 13,209 households endure overcrowded living conditions, with 2,668 deemed severely overcrowded
- 3,220 households are in temporary accommodation
- 602 households require urgent rehousing for medical reasons
This acute shortage is compounded by a rapidly growing population. The Office for National Statistics estimates that Tower Hamlets’ population, already the fastest-growing of any UK local authority, will grow from 323,854 in 2022 to nearly 390,000 by 2032.
How Will the Housing Programme Be Delivered and Funded?
The council has dedicated an £8 million budget for the next stage of the MAHP, which includes finalising planning consents and making pre-application submissions for the majority of sites. As reported by Tower Hamlets Council, this phase will develop a business plan and forge delivery partnerships with the Greater London Authority, Homes England, institutional investors, and third-party developers to ensure homes are delivered efficiently and at affordable rates.
This local investment is complemented by the Government’s fresh £38 billion fund for affordable housing, announced in the June 2025 Comprehensive Spending Review. Tower Hamlets Council has positioned itself to draw on this pot, seeking to leverage central government support to further scale up its ambitions.
What Are the Latest Milestones and Statements from Key Players?
Reporting from the Tower Hamlets Council’s communication published on 25 June 2025, the council celebrated the topping out of a new council housing development in Bow:
- 62 new council flats, ranging from one to four bedrooms, including six wheelchair-adaptable homes
- All units are 100% affordable, split equally between Tower Hamlets Living Rent and social rent
- Commercial units will be included at ground level to support local businesses
Executive Mayor Lutfur Rahman stated during the ceremony:
“I am so proud to reach this significant milestone in delivering high quality, genuinely affordable homes for our community, with this modern, state-of-the-art building providing 100% new council homes for social rent and Tower Hamlets Living Rent – including large, family-sized and accessible homes…. At a time when many councils are struggling to build new council homes, and many families are being pushed out of their communities in London due to the lack of affordable, family-sized homes, Tower Hamlets is leading the way in providing safe, sustainable council housing that meets the needs of local residents—today and for generations to come.”
Jonathan Jerram, Joint Managing Director at Jerram Falkus Construction, observed:
“The project has presented many challenges which we are proud to have worked collaboratively to overcome. We are proud and delighted to be here marking this achievement and construction milestone with Tower Hamlets Council. Tower Hamlets is the fastest growing and most densely populated place in the UK, and as such, housing is a huge issue. More than 29,000 residents are on the Housing Register with many people living in overcrowded or unsuitable homes.”
What Developments Are Planned for Bethnal Green East?
In a separate development, as reported by Tower Hamlets Council News Service on 22 July 2025, the council approved plans to demolish the former Albert Jacob House council offices on Roman Road in Bethnal Green East, paving the way for 53 new council homes across a five- to nine-storey development. The project includes five ground floor commercial units and is expected to make a significant contribution towards the council’s 4,000-home target.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman commented:
“We are determined to meet the urgent demand for social housing in Tower Hamlets, with far too many families currently living in overcrowded or unsuitable conditions. This is an important project that will provide 53 much-needed social rent homes for our residents.”
According to Christopher Gilligan, Associate at Child Graddon Lewis (the architecture practice behind the design):
“The project has been a real collaborative success, with both the client and project team all striving to deliver essential affordable, sustainable, and joyful homes…. The proposed building and its landscaping successfully weave themselves into the existing urban grain, really transforming the quality of the public realm experienced at street level for the benefit of new and existing neighbouring residents.”
What Provisions Guide Affordable Housing Delivery?
According to the Tower Hamlets Local Development Framework and related policy documents, the borough traditionally sets an affordable housing target of up to 50%, seeking to negotiate these targets through development agreements. Recent addenda to policy now require at least 40% affordable housing provision in new schemes.
Grant support and continuous engagement with registered providers underpin the council’s strategy, ensuring that housing is genuinely affordable – with private market rents often unaffordable for families on low incomes, and council/social rents providing a crucial safety net.
What Are the Council’s Broader Plans for Future Homes?
Consultations on the borough’s ambitious new Local Plan, running from 20 June to 1 August 2025, aim to further refine housing policy to maximise new provision and enhance the sustainability and livability of new communities. The council’s approach is multi-faceted, involving new builds, acquisition, conversions, and regeneration projects, all geared towards meeting the full spectrum of local housing needs.
What Challenges Remain, and What Comes Next?
Despite its advantages, Tower Hamlets faces structural challenges:
- Intense population growth continues to exert pressure on infrastructure and services.
- Land availability, construction costs, and the challenge of integrating new developments into the existing urban fabric remain significant.
- The need for family-sized and accessible homes is especially acute given local demographic trends.
Nevertheless, with strong leadership, partnerships, and a clear delivery strategy, the council remains confident. As documented in its statements and plans, Tower Hamlets positions itself at the forefront of innovative, large-scale affordable housing delivery, determined to give local people “the safe, sustainable, high-quality council homes they deserve”.
