Delivering affordable homes for Newham

We were appointed by Populo Living, Newham’s development company, to deliver commercial and project support for the Noele Gordon House scheme. It transforms a vacant brownfield site into 75 affordable homes designed for later living.

Two buildings, one nine storeys, the other seven, are connected by a shared podium at the lower levels. Each apartment has a private balcony. Residents also have access to a communal lounge and a landscaped garden on the second floor.

A new health centre, built to CAT-A standard, supports NHS plans to expand care in the community. Sustainability is built in too. The project achieved BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings.

Commercial Management

We worked closely with Populo Living and the wider team to keep costs within 2% of the original estimate. That gave our client the certainty they needed to plan, fund and deliver with confidence.

Principal Designer

We brought key players together for early-stage workshops. This helped to spot risks early and keep the project on track. Regular updates meant everyone stayed aligned as the design progressed.

Employer’s Agent

We managed the procurement process, contractor appointments and contract admin. When the brief evolved, we made sure every change was agreed, recorded and reported.

The result? Clear communication, fast decisions and smooth delivery.

Projects funded by the Greater London Authority come with tight requirements. Miss the deadline and the funding drops; in this case by £100,000 per unit. Our job was to make sure that didn’t happen.

We identified the risk early: delays caused by moving residents and engaging new ones. So, we prioritised consultation. That meant holding workshops, focus groups and exhibitions to hear what local families and older residents and those with disabilities needed.

That insight fed directly into the design. It also built trust, reduced resistance and helped avoid delays.

Noele Gordon House is more than a housing scheme. It is a model for how underperforming assets can be used to meet local needs, while creating long-term value for the borough.

And it is just the beginning. As part of the wider Affordable Homes for Newham programme, the scheme supports delivery of over 1,000 new homes at genuinely affordable rent levels. Proof that certainty, on cost, quality and community delivers better outcomes for everyone.