New key worker housing ready at journalists’ union site
Newlon Housing Trust in at Acorn House
Thursday, 26th March — By Caitlin Maskell
From left: Cllr Jonathan Simpson, Ruth Davison, Cllr Liam Martin-Lane, Cllr Lotis Bautista, Faaiza Lalji and Stefan St-Hilaire Brown from Newlon
THE office block once the headquarters of the National Union of Journalists will begin welcoming residents to new flats after an “affordable” housing makeover.
The properties at Acorn House in Gray’s Inn Road, King’s Cross, have been handed to the Newlon Housing Trust to run.
Of the 33 new homes, 19 will be social rented, and 14 will be available for intermediate rent for key workers.
The nine-storey building now also features two wheelchair-accessible flats, an outdoor play area and roof terrace with a function room and kitchen which will be available for residents use.
The flats were provided by developers working on a new research lab at Belgrove House in Euston Road as part of the planning agreement with the council.
Ruth Davison, the newly appointed group chief executive of Newlon Housing Trust, said: “This is about helping to keep our communities mixed and vibrant to ensure that London doesn’t turn into some kind of gated community but is absolutely a place where all people can thrive in the capital.”
A tour one of the new flats
The NUJ moved to new offices at nearby Headland House.
Ward councillor Jonathan Simpson MBE spoke at the official opening of the new homes, which were first discussed over eight years ago.
“I’m delighted to see this building come back to life,” said Cllr Simpson.
“In addition to being the NUJ headquarters it was also a charities headquarters for a long time as well.
“Homes are so important locally, and there is a massive housing waiting list in Camden. We have many residents that have health issues because of overcrowding and this type of building will certainly solve that.”
Councillor Lotis Bautista added: “To have a roof over your head as a family is an exceptional luxury it would seem at this time.”
It is also the first time that Newlon will be using air source heat pumps in one of their buildings to provide heating and cooling into people’s homes.
Ms Davison said installing an air source heat pump in poorly insulated homes could risk plunging people into fuel poverty.
She said: “These homes are built to really high standards of thermal efficiency so the fact you have an air source heat pump and a thermally efficient building means that people’s bills should be much lower.”
