Mayor of Hackney visits Wimbourne Street development to see progress on 59 new homes
Posted 08/10/2025
The Mayor of Hackney joined representatives from Hackney Council, Higgins Partnerships, and key stakeholders last week to mark the progress being made at the Wimbourne Street development, part of Hackney Council’s Housing Supply Programme.
Located on the Wenlock Barn Estate, the mixed-use development is transforming an underused site into 59 high-quality new homes across two buildings, Wimbourne North Block and Wimbourne South Block. Twenty-seven of these will be for Council social rent, 12 for shared ownership and 20 for outright sale. Designed by architects Mikhail Riches, the scheme will also deliver a new café/commercial space, children’s playground, reconfigured car parking, and extensive landscaping, creating safer, greener and more welcoming spaces for both new and existing residents.
The North Block delivers 41 mixed tenure homes across four to eight storeys, while the South Block provides 18 social rent homes across four to six storeys.
As part of Hackney Council’s Housing Supply Programme, the Wimbourne Street scheme demonstrates how underused infill sites can be repurposed to meet housing demand and deliver much-needed affordable homes. Shared surfaces, new pavements, and improved pedestrian routes are also being introduced to enhance connectivity and safety for residents.
Declan Higgins, Chief Executive of Higgins Group, said: “We are proud to be working alongside Hackney Council to deliver this important scheme. Wimbourne Street is not just about building new homes, it’s about leaving a lasting legacy by creating high-quality spaces, safer streets, and amenities that benefit the whole community. We are delighted to be nearing completion and look forward to welcoming residents to their new homes soon.”
Mayor of Hackney, Caroline Woodley, said: “We’re doing everything we can to tackle London’s housing crisis head on, and these new Council homes at Wimborne Street are part of hundreds we’re proud to be building across the borough.
“We’re also passionate about providing local job opportunities through our housebuilding programme - something I know Higgins is also committed to - so it was brilliant to meet some of the local people who’ve secured apprenticeships on site as a result of this project.”
Alongside delivering new homes, Higgins has also been working closely with the local community. To date, the team has contributed more than 175 hours of community volunteering, over 215 hours of educational engagement with schools and young people to promote the wide range of career opportunities available in the construction industry, and 60 hours of environmental activities to improve the local area. In addition, Higgins has provided more than £11,000 in sponsorship and donations to support local groups and initiatives, helping to ensure the project leaves a positive and lasting legacy. In partnership with apprenticeship provider JBT Training, the development has helped to provide employment for local people, including 9 apprenticeships, 10 paid work placements, 3 supported internships and a number of site jobs for local residents.
The Wimbourne Street development is due for completion in Spring next year, marking another key milestone in Hackney Council’s commitment to delivering more affordable homes for local residents.
