Plans for Hackney restoration by Architecture firm Ash Sakula Pic: Hackney Council/Ash Sakula

Designs have been revealed for Hackney Council’s programme to turn old garages and other underused council-owned land into 39 new homes.

The developments are part of the first stage of the Council’s Housing Supply Programme, which will eventually see hundreds of new homes built in an attempt to tackle Hackney’s housing shortage. Around 70 per cent of the proposed homes are available for social rent or shared ownership. The borough is currently struggling under a waiting list of 13,000 for social housing.

The images show the first phase that will provide a new street with 11 homes, five of which will be social rent and the remaining six will be shared ownership to replace empty garages at Mandeville Street. Pedro Street will also benefit from 28 new homes that are being proposed to replace a disused boiler house on Gilpin Square.

Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney, said: “With 13,000 households on our housing waiting list and around 3,000 households in temporary accommodation, we are absolutely committed to making the best use of all Council-owned land and doing everything we can to provide homes for local people.

“These smaller sites have given us the opportunity to work with some fantastic architect practices who, in collaboration with the local community, have come up with designs that both provide high quality, genuinely affordable homes and make a fantastic contribution to their neighbourhoods.”

The Council has assured that the new properties on both street will be prioritised for Hackney residents. The social rent properties are to made available to those on the social housing list, and shared ownership is aimed at providing an affordable route into home ownership for those living and working in Hackney.