Mayor of Hackney marks progress at Buckland Street with a Topping Out ceremony
Posted 02/02/2026
A topping out ceremony attended by the Mayor of Hackney, representatives from London Borough of Hackney, Higgins Partnerships and key project stakeholders, has taken place at Buckland Street in Hoxton, marking a major milestone in the delivery of 54 new mixed-tenure homes.
The Buckland Street development, being delivered for Hackney Council, will provide a range of much-needed new homes, helping to address local housing demand while contributing positively to the wider Hoxton neighbourhood.
The scheme will deliver 54 high-quality apartments across a mix of tenures, as part of Hackney Council’s Housing Supply Programme. Alongside the neighbouring Wimbourne Street development, the development demonstrates how underused infill sites can be successfully repurposed to deliver new homes, supporting the council’s commitment to increasing the supply of new council homes for social rent as well as homes for shared ownership and private sale. The new council homes will be prioritised for tenants living near the development whose current homes no longer meet their needs.
This mixed tenure development will provide 22 homes for social rent, 14 for shared ownership and 18 homes for private sale. The homes are arranged across three six-storey villa-style blocks, interlocked with podiums at ground level. Designed by architects Mikhail Riches, the development will also include a new children’s play area, the refurbishment and relocation of the existing multi-use games area (MUGA), new commercial spaces and improvements to the surrounding public open space for use by the wider community.
Mayor of Hackney, Caroline Woodley, said: “It was fantastic to be back at Buckland St celebrating the topping out of these beautiful new council homes, which are part of the hundreds we’re building across the borough.
“We’re committed to tackling the housing crisis head on and, over the coming year, we’ll see people in need of a council home start to move into Buckland Street and its sister development at Wimbourne Street - also being built by Higgins.
“The power of regeneration isn’t just shown in the new homes, but in the employment opportunities and apprenticeships generated for local people on the site.”
Declan Higgins, Chief Executive of Higgins Group, said: “We are proud to reach this important milestone in the delivery of these high-quality new homes for Hackney residents. Through our partnership with Hackney Council, we are transforming an underused site into well-designed, sustainable homes while also investing in local people through our social value initiatives to ensure we leave a lasting legacy long after construction is complete.”
Higgins has also been working closely with the local community throughout the project. To date, the team have contributed more than 460 hours in community volunteering, working with organisations such as Made in Hackney, which prepares plant-based meals each week for local residents, and The Hackney Community Games Festival, which encourages children aged 8 to 10 years old to try a range of sports in a fun and inclusive environment.
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 the area.
The company has also spent over 240 hours engaging with schools and young people to promote the wide range of career opportunities available within the construction industry, through career talks, apprenticeship fairs and work placements. Environmental initiatives have been supported, including the creation and clearance of wildlife habitats with Growing Communities at Springfield Park along with litter picking initiatives to improve the surrounding environment.
The development has also supported employment for local people, including eight apprenticeships, five paid work placements, two supported internships and a number of site jobs for local residents.
