Housing association Peabody and development partner Hollybrook Homes held a fun day to mark completion of 168 new homes at Osiers Road, Wandsworth, and welcome residents.
84 of the homes are for social rent, with the rest shared ownership. The development brings new high quality, spacious and affordable homes to the local community, with a pedestrianised walkway, public square and children’s play space for residents to enjoy.
Just a five-minute walk from the river, Osiers Road is closely connected to Wandsworth Riverside Quarter Pier. Residents can beat the hustle and bustle of commuting by travelling along the scenic river to reach the heart of the city.
On Saturday 13 May, residents came together with representatives of Peabody, Hollybrook Homes and Wandsworth Council to celebrate the new homes and get to know their new neighbours. They were joined by contract administrators Airey Miller, landscape architect Fabrik, and Dallas-Pierce-Quintero, who co-ordinated public art at the development.
Guests enjoyed a jam-packed day of activities, from magicians and balloonists to free ice cream and a live steel pan band.
The event also gave residents the chance to learn about the vibrant new art installation that has been woven into the landscape of Osiers Road. During its development, Peabody and Hollybrook Homes commissioned artist Simon Periton to work with students from nearby Brandlehow Primary School to create artwork for the temporary hoarding that bordered the site while it was under construction. The designs were then used to create a series of steel public artworks called ‘Hyperaccumulator’ and ‘Anguilla Anguilla’, paying homage to the willow plants that grew along the River Thames from the 18th century and gave Osiers Road its name. The artwork is now available to view within the courtyard of Osiers Road.
Nadia Chiki, a resident at Osiers Road, said: “I have really enjoyed today. My son has had a great time getting to play with all the other kids and there have been some great activities to take part in too. We should have more community parties like this in the future.
“I used to live in Roehampton, but it is much nicer here. The location is beautiful, and Peabody have been easy to deal with. My son has ADHD, and he has benefitted from being able to live in a beautiful home with amazing views, so close to the river. He can see the river from his bedroom window and watching the boats go by really helps calm him down. I would recommend living here.”
Muminah Ilaj, who also lives at Osiers Road, added: “This event has been great, I have had a chance to meet some of my neighbours and my boys have been able to play with some of the other children. They especially loved the face painting and the magic show.
“My home is really nice - it is a spacious two-bedroom apartment, and the quality has been 10 out of 10. I like the local area; it has some great community events and we have joined lots of local kids' clubs too. This is a great location for children and families.”
Kara Newell, Senior Development Manager at Peabody, said: “Hosting this celebratory fun day gave residents the perfect opportunity to get to know their neighbours as they settle into their new homes and the community. Building high-quality affordable homes in the city is crucial to tackling the housing crisis; Osiers Road is an entirely affordable scheme that is well-connected, and just a stone's throw from the river. We had a great time officially welcoming residents and are pleased to see new friendships forming.”
Nick Langley, on behalf of Hollybrook Homes, said: “The students from Brandlehow Primary School and Simon Periton did a great job designing the public art, which is a focal point of the new public square, and it was good to see so many residents from the development and their neighbours come together to learn about the artwork at this community event. Hollybrook is pleased to have worked with Peabody to deliver this high-quality development, which has provided much-needed affordable homes and a new public square, which includes a children’s play area”.
Simon Periton, Artist, said: “Hyperaccumulator consists of a set of artworks fabricated in weathered steel. A large, fossilised willow leaf with eyes, The Weaver, watches over the courtyard, and three unique tree grilles, The Bucks, filter the surface water, allowing the trees to burst through. These permanent artworks were developed as a result of the conversations with Hawthorn and Hazel pupils at Brandlehow School. I hope that the placement of the individual elements will encourage visitors to navigate the whole Osiers Road site.”
