The first planning application under the Mayor’s Accelerated Housing Programme (MAHP) has been submitted, marking an important delivery milestone for Tower Hamlets Council’s ambitious drive to accelerate the delivery of genuinely affordable homes across the borough.
The proposals for a former Victorian school site in Bethnal Green were prepared and submitted by the MAHP delivery team ahead of the May 2026 local elections, demonstrating that the programme had already moved from strategy into delivery. The Mayor’s re-election on 7 May now provides renewed continuity for the initiative as it progresses through planning and construction.
Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said:
“The submission of the first planning application under our Mayor’s Accelerated Housing Programme marks an important step in turning ambition into delivery. We launched MAHP to speed up the construction of genuinely affordable homes on council land, and this Bethnal Green scheme shows how we can deliver new homes alongside vital community facilities. Following my re-election, we will continue to accelerate high-quality, council-led housing that meets the needs of local residents and strengthens neighbourhoods across Tower Hamlets.”
The scheme has been developed by Matthew Lloyd Architects, working alongside Mace Consult and Sphere 25, and represents the first MAHP project to reach the planning submission stage.
The MAHP will fast-track up to 3,300 new homes across at least 37 council-owned sites. The programme forms a cornerstone of the Council’s long-term response to both Tower Hamlets’ and London’s acute housing shortage, focusing on delivering safe, high-quality homes at pace while strengthening local communities.
The Bethnal Green proposals respond directly to identified housing need, delivering 44 new homes with more than 60% affordable provision. The scheme prioritises family-sized and accessible homes, helping ensure residents can remain within their communities as their needs change.
The development is arranged across two buildings:
- A sensitive retrofit and extension of a late Victorian brick school building, providing 20 private tenure homes while celebrating and preserving the historic fabric.
- A new five-storey building delivering 24 social rent homes alongside more than 1,000 sq m of community space.
At the heart of the scheme is a new Idea Store and Residents’ Hub, expanding Tower Hamlets’ established approach to combining learning, skills development and community services in accessible neighbourhood locations. There will also be a new One Stop Shop, bringing key council services directly to residents.
Flexible learning space at ground level will allow the building to adapt to changing community needs, supported by smaller rooms above for study, meetings and local programmes. Architectural elements distinguish the public building from the residential elements, reinforcing its role as a community anchor.
The proposals carefully integrate retained historic structures with contemporary additions, forming a sequence of courtyards designed to maximise light, usability and community interaction. Height and massing have been shaped to respond sensitively to the surrounding context while optimising housing delivery - a core principle of MAHP.
Landscape design enhances biodiversity and introduces varied outdoor environments benefiting residents, wildlife and the wider public, helping transform a constrained urban site into a greener neighbourhood asset.
As the first MAHP scheme to reach planning submission, the Bethnal Green project demonstrates how the programme is translating ambition into tangible progress, setting the pace for further sites to follow across the borough.
A planning decision is anticipated in summer 2026.
Posted on Tuesday 12th May 2026