Homes England awards £23m transport grant to support new housing in Thamesmead

Homes England has awarded a £23m infrastructure grant to fund a new bus link to help enable large-scale housing development in Thamesmead.

The neighbourhood in south-east London has long been mooted as a suitable location for a large number of new homes in the capital, with successive government announcements this year bringing this closer to reality.

In September, Thamesmead was named by the government’s new town taskforce as one of the 12 sites in the UK suitable for new developments of 10,000 homes or more. 

Last week, chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed in the Budget that she would support the extension of the Dockland Light Railway to Thamesmead, funded by borrowing by Transport for London and the Greater London Authority. 

The new transit link had been identified by major local stakeholders, including the housing association Peabody, as essential to developing the area at high density.

This week, the government’s housing and regeneration agency has issued its own funding announcement, revealing the award of a London Brownfield Infrastructure and Land grant for the new bus link.

The new service will connect new housing and enhance existing bus corridors linking Thamesmead with the Abbey Wood and Woolwich Elizabeth line stations.

The work, which will support the planned new community at Thamesmead Waterfront as well as Beckton Riverside on the other side of the Thames, will be delivered ahead of the broader DLR extension.

>> Read more: Reeves to announce Docklands Light Railway extension to Thamesmead in plan to ‘unlock’ 25,000 homes

>> Read more: The housing sector was delighted with the spending review – but lack of transport investment could scupper its delivery in London

Amy Rees, chief executive of Homes England, said: “This collaboration is just one example of how local and national organisations are working together, combining expertise and resources, to create communities with the homes and infrastructure that people need to thrive and grow.”

Alex Williams, TfL’s chief customer and strategy officer, added: “This funding marks an important step towards delivering better transport connections for Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside. 

“By improving bus links now and progressing plans for the DLR extension, we’re helping unlock thousands of new homes and creating sustainable communities with the transport infrastructure they need to thrive.”