Dolphin Living secures planning permission for New Era in Hackney

Dolphin Living and its delivery partner The Hill Group, a leading five-star and award-winning housebuilder, have secured planning permission to redevelop the New Era Estate in Hackney.

The redevelopment is being brought forward by Dolphin Living, who appointed Hill as its development partner in January 2025. Grant was secured through the Mayor's 2021-2026 Affordable Housing Programme administered by the Greater London Authority (GLA). Construction is due to start in August.

Designed by renowned architect Allies & Morrison, the redevelopment will replace the existing 1930s private rented accommodation with 208 new high-quality one, two and three-bedroom homes arranged in buildings ranging from three to 13 storeys, creating a mixed-tenure neighbourhood. The development will also provide 384sqm of flexible retail floorspace and a central landscaped communal courtyard garden. Of the 208 homes, 109 will be for private sale, and 99 will be available for intermediate rent and will deliver 50% affordable provision by habitable rooms. The majority of the affordable homes will be let at a discount of 20% to London Living Rent in perpetuity, the first of its kind in London, with original residents of the estate offered one of these unique affordable homes.

Dolphin Living acquired the Hoxton estate in 2014 and introduced a means-tested rent system. Following extensive consultation with residents, it was agreed that a full rebuild of the estate would best meet their housing needs. Residents have temporarily relocated to nearby 333 Kingsland Road and will return to the completed development once works are finished.

Dolphin Living's objective as a charity is to provide homes in central London at below-market rents, enabling working Londoners on modest incomes to live close to their places of work. Dolphin focuses on supporting key workers and those in essential roles across London's economy.

The new development will be tenure blind, with all residents having access to the central communal amenity space. It will also deliver significant biodiversity improvements through extensive planting, new trees, green roofs and ecological enhancements, creating a substantial increase in biodiversity compared with the existing estate.

The homes will be designed with a strong focus on sustainability and energy efficiency, incorporating measures including air source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, green and blue roofs, alongside a car-free approach with cycle storage and blue badge parking provision. Residents will also benefit from private balconies and communal landscaped roof terraces.

Commenting on the decision by Hackney Council, Olivia Harris, Chief Executive of Dolphin Living said:

We are very pleased that Hackney Council has granted planning consent for the redevelopment of the New Era Estate. This scheme reflects the continued need to deliver high-quality, affordable homes for London's key workers at a time of persistent housing undersupply.

We remain fully committed to working closely with residents throughout the development process. With construction now on the horizon, we look forward to delivering a new and improved New Era and welcoming residents back once complete.

Cain Peters, Regional Managing Director of Special Projects at The Hill Group, said:

We are delighted to have secured planning permission alongside Dolphin Living for the redevelopment of New Era. This is an exciting regeneration project that will deliver much-needed high-quality, sustainable, affordable homes in the heart of Hackney, while supporting an established community.

New Era is a strong example of what partnership working can achieve. We look forward to starting construction and bringing this ambitious vision to life, creating a sustainable and welcoming place for residents to enjoy for many years to come.

The first residents are expected to move into their new homes towards the end of 2028 and completion of the full development is anticipated by the end of 2029.