Residents at the development Kidbrooke Square in the Royal Borough of Greenwich have celebrated their first Christmas as a community.
Housing association Notting Hill Genesis invited residents and members of the local community to get in the festive spirit at a Christmas event, also marking the completion of the first phase of new homes at Kidbrooke Square.
The community came together on Saturday 14 December to enjoy a family-friendly and free-to-attend festive extravaganza at the development, which featured entertainment and local market stalls.
With food vouchers provided by Notting Hill Genesis, attendees were able to pick from a range of tasty treats from local street food vendors, including Racheal Cooks serving juicy jerk chicken, Baruch to Bombay offering a taste of India with their biriyani and a feast of fresh flavours from Holy Pizza.
Visitors also explored local arts and crafts stalls, including Wyld Bunch providing handcrafted floral arrangements, Stud and Pearl with handmade bespoke clay earrings and Spinached UK showcasing their range of organic superfood supplements.
A centrepiece snow globe provided the perfect backdrop for a festive social media post and a photobooth was available for residents. A live DJ boosted the Christmas spirit throughout the afternoon with seasonal songs, while a stilt walking performance kept visitors entertained.
The event marked the first coming together of residents from the development’s initial phase. It also provided an opportunity for the local community to explore Kidbrooke Square and meet their new neighbours, as well as for residents to get to know teams from Notting Hill Genesis and Places for London.
Councillor Majid Rahman from Greenwich Council was also in attendance and got in the festive spirit while meeting Kidbrooke Square’s residents and local community members.
In partnership with Places for London (Transport for London’s property company), Notting Hill Genesis has delivered 413 new homes at Kidbrooke Square in the first phase. With support from the Greater London Authroity, the partnership is delighted to have been able to deliver all 309 affordable homes across this project within this first phase - 152 homes for London Affordable Rent and 157 for shared ownership.
In total, 600 new homes will be delivered at Kidbrooke Square, alongside community spaces including a co-working space and a public square to host events such as monthly markets.
Matthew Cornwall-Jones, chief homes officer at Notting Hill Genesis, said: “At Notting Hill Genesis our values go far beyond new homes. Not only do we provide high quality homes that Londoners can afford, we also create great spaces – vibrant mixed-use neighbourhoods that residents can enjoy.
“It’s fantastic to be breathing life into Kidbrooke Square and celebrating the spirit of community.”
Ben Tate, head of property development at Places for London, said: “We are delighted to have completed this phase of our development at Kidbrooke Square. Through our partnership with Notting Hill Genesis, this area will have more than 600 new high quality, affordable homes, helping to provide the housing that London urgently needs.
It's great to see people moving into the new homes, becoming part of the community and enjoying all that Kidbrooke has to offer.”
