Published: Thursday 10 July 2025
The learnings from Grenfell sit at the heart of a forward-thinking new five-year Housing Strategy for Kensington and Chelsea.
The Strategy, which was approved by the Council’s Leadership Team on Wednesday 9 July, sets out how we will use what we have learned from the tragedy to create an exemplary housing authority that provides safe, decent homes and treats residents with respect and courtesy.
It sets out plans to tackle the housing crisis by promoting different types of settled homes and using innovative solutions to increase supply, including through a pioneering scheme to use money from the Council’s pension fund to purchase 250 homes for homeless families.
We have also committed to driving up standards for our tenants, both by improving our landlord and repairs services and continuing our investment of more than £750 million in improving their homes.
Cllr Sof McVeigh, lead member for housing, said:
“This strategy is borne out of the lessons we continue to learn from the Grenfell tragedy.
“We have already made good progress in building new council homes, improving existing ones and reducing homelessness, but the scale of the housing challenge we face means that we have to innovate to meet demand, and be realistic about what we can offer.
“We will explore every avenue – from unlocking new funding streams to championing a wider choice of homes – to meet our residents’ needs and provide as many people as possible with a home for the future.”
What are the main priorities of the Housing Strategy 2025-2030?
- Provide a diverse supply of housing to help local residents achieve their aspirations for a settled home
- Ensure our homes are safe and meet the Decent Homes Standard
- Deliver exemplary housing and landlord services
What else is in the Strategy?
It details a significant commitment to ensuring existing homes are safe and meet high standards. We will spend more than £400 million over the next five years to bring council homes up to the Decent Homes Standard and enhance safety, building on the £310 million invested since 2019.
For the borough's most vulnerable, the Strategy includes improving the supply of supported accommodation, highlighted by the recent acquisition of Princess Beatrice House, which will be remodelled to provide 66 units of self-contained supported housing.
It also explicitly commits to resetting the dynamic between the Council and its tenants and to listening to a more diverse range of residents in decision-making.
Where can I read the Strategy?
Visit the housing publications page on our website.