Frequently Asked Questions November 2025

The Council held a resident ballot to give you, the people who live on the Alton, the final decision on whether to knock down some buildings on the estate and replace them with more homes and improved community facilities.

A common word for this type of activity is 'regeneration'.

The Council said we would hold a vote on the new plans after we stopped the previous plans from being built and it was to make sure our new buildings meet your needs.

In total more than 1,400 people voted in the ballot, and 82% of those people voted 'Yes'. This means that the plans we showed you, will now go ahead.

Residents were asked to vote 'yes' or 'no' on the regeneration proposals that we have shared with people over the last year through the consultation process. Everyone has had a chance to input their thoughts and ideas through workshops, exhibitions, online and from information sent to you as part of the Landlord Offer.

The Landlord Offer set out the proposals for new buildings and facilities and how we will support people whose homes will be knocked down as part of the changes.

The Landlord Offer document explained the changes we are planning to make to the Alton if residents voted 'yes', and because the majority did vote 'yes', we will now be going ahead with the plans.

It is called the Landlord Offer because Wandsworth Council is the landlord who manages most of the homes and facilities on the Alton, including the areas which there are plans to change.

The new buildings that will go ahead are in four main areas:

1. Danebury Neighbourhood: New homes replacing blocks on Harbridge Avenue, Kingsclere Close and the northern side of Danebury Avenue, with a central green square. A community square/events space immediately west of Allbrook House (current ramp and carpark location). A new block of homes to the north of the square with additional ground floor retail/community space.
2. Danebury Shopping Parade: A replacement retail block with flats above, including a larger supermarket and an improved link to the Roehampton Sports and Fitness Centre.
3. Portswood Place: A new community building for the services currently based at 166/168 Roehampton Lane and the Danebury GP Practice.
4. 166/168 Roehampton Lane: Two new blocks of flats and a terrace of family homes.

We are also regenerating the area at the corner of Roehampton Lane and Holybourne Avenue (the site of the old Co-op and pharmacy, youth club and housing offices). There will be two buildings:

1. a Community Hub with a new larger library, youth space, community space, shared workspace and council offices.
2. a block of more than 50 homes for council rent including family sized and wheelchair accessible homes.

We committed to building on this site when we stopped the previous plans, because you told us you were unhappy that the site had been vacant for so long.

Overall, we want to build between 600 and 650 new homes and knock down 177 homes. This means an increase of around 450 homes on the Alton.

57% of the new homes will be affordable, which means they cost less to rent or buy than they would from a private landlord or seller.

Council tenants and leaseholders whose homes are being demolished will be offered a new home on the estate and will be given financial and practical help to move. The second part of this document provides more information for those residents.

Once we have rehoused everyone whose home is being demolished because of the proposals, priority for the remaining new council homes will be given to current Alton residents who are on the council housing waiting list, depending on their position on the queue and whether there is an appropriate property available.

The plans for new homes, new shops and facilities and a GP surgery at Portswood Place will now go ahead since there were more ‘yes’ votes than ‘no’ votes.
 

The proposals set out here will now go ahead, together with the improvements in the Alton Renewal Plan.

The Council will lead the work rather than working jointly with a private development partner, and so the decision to go ahead is within the Council’s control and the Council will be accountable to you as residents.

We have outlined a high level plan that shows the key activities that will be happening and when. Dates are always subject to change, depending on a number of factors, but we will try to stick to them as much as we can, and update you of any changes as we progress. You can find a copy of this high level plan here in our document archive.

The first thing that will happen is around the Early Improvement Plan. As we said previously, the buildings under the Early Improvement Plan, also known as Block A - the old Co-op building and the old Boys Club, will be the first buildings to be designed in detail, submitted for Planning at the end of 2025. These existing buildings will make way for the new Community Hub and a new residential building behind it, along with public realm improvements.

Whilst the Early Improvement Plan is getting started on site, the main masterplan will be designed in parallel, and submitted for Planning in Spring 2027. 

Alongside the regeneration plans that are now progressing, a number of Renewal Plan projects will also be progressing.

These projects are identified as activities that can happen immediately and are outside of the overall regeneration programme, but complement the wider changes that are coming.

Some of these projects are listed below:

Leisure centre linkway: The creation of a vibrant artwork along the route to the leisure centre from Danebury Avenue, inspired by local community themes, to foster pride and guide visitors. Spring 2026

Wayfinding and signage: The introduction of wayfinding and heritage trails with physical signage and QR codes, celebrating local history and helping to create a clear narrative for both residents and visitors. Spring 2026

Gateway: The installation of a new 'Welcome to Alton' sign and a new mural at the Roehampton High Street entrance, providing a welcome to the estate. Spring 2026

Lighting Strategy: A set of new creative lighting projects across the Alton. Projects could feature tree lighting, installations, uplighting and shopfront illumination, tailored to what is needed on the estate. Summer 2026

Murals: Artists have collaborated with the community to design local artworks on blank walls and buildings, such as at the library, transforming gateways to the estate that currently feel unwelcoming. December 2025

Focus Hall Activation: Refurbishing Focus Hall as a cultural and community resource, supporting production, rehearsal, education, and performance. Winter 2026

We think the Alton is a great place but we know it has some problems and that you understand it best because you live here. When we asked for your views in 2023 you told us that the Alton needed more affordable council homes for you and your families and that some current blocks were difficult to live in.

This might be because of the way they were built, or because the layout of the streets and pavements doesn’t cope well with the Alton’s hills. We have also noticed that some of our community buildings are not easy to use for everyone in the community.

You also told us that you liked lots of the estate and that the old scheme was going to demolish too many buildings and build too many flats for sale.

We think these proposals are a good fit with what you told us the Alton needed.

Firstly, the designs of the new buildings and spaces are different and respond to your feedback about what works best in the Alton landscape. They also provide more council homes, and more green spaces, and help people move about the estate more easily.

Secondly more of the homes will be genuinely affordable council homes for local people on the estate.

Thirdly, we are no longer demolishing Allbrook House, the current library building, or the blocks at 117-211 and 213-243 Danebury Avenue.

Instead they will undergo a programme of major repairs including new windows for Danebury and Allbrook and a new roof for Allbrook. When the library moves to its new home in the Community Hub, the current building can be used for shops or community organisations.

Since the majority of residents voted 'yes' in the ballot then the works will go ahead.

The Council will be leading the work this time rather than working jointly with a private development partner, and so the decision to go ahead is in our control and we are accountable to you as residents.

Big programmes do take a long time and we expect it will be about ten years from start to finish. However, we will be phasing the development carefully which means we will do the work in the best order to reduce disruption to you all – for example by making sure you can always get around the estate, wherever you live.

We will also conduct a social impact assessment as well as making sure that the builders follow considerate construction requirements.

Our plans include a new village green and community square, play spaces and green spaces around Allbrook House and the new Community Hub.

Some will be quiet spaces to enjoy the nature which you've told us is one of your favourite things about the Alton, and some will be designed to help people get together.

We are also delivering two new play spaces at Downshire Fields and the Alton Activity Centre as part of the Alton Renewal Plan.

There won’t be any loss of parking because of the new scheme, and some new blocks will feature additional underground spaces.

What’s most important to us is that the people who live on the Alton already don’t lose out on parking because of the new homes.

Therefore, when we build the new homes we plan to bring in a parking scheme that will provide FREE parking permits for existing Alton residents only. The introduction of the new parking scheme will be subject to consultation with residents and businesses.

There will be a rebuilt shopping parade on Danebury Avenue including a larger supermarket. We will have to ask businesses to move around but will help local businesses to keep trading and will make sure a supermarket stays open throughout the development.

Once all the work is finished there will be a bit more space for shops and other businesses than there is now.

The plan tries to keep the parts of the Alton you told us that you liked while making it better for the future.

The former university buildings on Minstead Gardens (Mount Clare) are not owned by the Council, and do not form part of the Alton Renewal Plan.

The following blocks will be demolished:

• 31-115 (odd) Danebury Avenue
• 1-28 Kingsclere Close
• 1-115 Harbridge Avenue
• 1-14 Portswood Place

We will make sure there is a new home built for you to move into before we demolish your block. This means you will only have to move once.

We know moving can be hard and can bring changes you may not have expected. If your block is being demolished you will have a dedicated Council officer to help you through this process and help you with any concerns or worries you have.

If you are a homeowner and don't want to sell your home to us we may end up buying it through something called a Compulsory Purchase Order to make sure the plans can go ahead. Even if this happens, the law means we still have to pay a fair price for your home and for the disruption and help you with the cost of moving.

We will offer you an alternative property and do our best to make sure it is somewhere that works for you. If you are near the top of the housing queue we will see if we can make you a permanent offer.

Yes, you will get help with the cost of moving. More detail will be set out in the Landlord Offer.

They will be modern, warm, and designed to meet up to date space, safety and energy efficiency standards.

The size of your new home will depend on the number of people in your household. Your rehousing officer will assess your needs. You may be eligible to move to a bigger home if you have a growing family, or you may want to downsize to a more manageable property depending on your circumstances.

We will try and give you some input on both the layout of the flat and the materials used. This will take the form of choices between a limited number of options that our designers know from experience will work well.

If you need to, the Council will try to make that happen.

You can talk to your re-housing officer about any specific needs that you have and we will try and offer you a home that meets those needs.

10% of the units we are building will be wheelchair accessible, and this includes some family-sized homes.

All the new blocks of flats will have lifts.

Yes. You will be paid the full market value of your home, plus help with moving costs.

If you live in your home on the Alton you can use this money towards a new home on the Alton or elsewhere.

If you don’t live in the property you will still get a fair price but you won’t get the chance to buy a new home here. This is because we want to prioritise the people who live in the homes that are being demolished.

If you pay council rent now, you will continue to do so. The rent will be worked out on the same basis as your current rent, but may be higher or lower than now if you choose a different size property.