Back in March 2024, the first homes on the Canada Water development were completed by British Land and handed over to Southwark Council. Formerly Plot K1, the building is now known as 7 Roberts Close and provides 79 affordable homes – including 60 much-needed council homes – for local residents; most of them feature at least two bedrooms, making them suitable for families. These homes have been fully occupied since last summer, and is a vibrant and welcoming corner of the peninsula.
As we build the Canada Water development, we’re committed to creating a place that’s climate-ready and inclusive, where nature and wellness flourish. We recognise our responsibility to minimise the impact of what we build on the environment, while also keeping energy costs down for residents. Sustainable buildings, green open spaces and efforts to boost biodiversity are aimed at enhancing wellbeing for people living here, while fostering the unique ecology of the area.
7 Roberts Close was designed with these aims firmly in mind. It won contractors McAleer & Rushe the title of National Green Champion 2023 at the Green Apple Environment Awards, thanks to a host of environmentally friendly features.
Homes are fully electric, eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels. Air source heat pumps extract heat from the surrounding air and transfer it indoors, requiring less energy than traditional heating systems. All homes are fitted with efficient taps, showers and toilets designed to reduce water use to less than 110 litres per person per day – a saving of nearly 25% compared with the UK average of 142 litres.
Residents have the use of a communal roof terrace and ground-floor garden planted with pollinator-friendly species that, along with bird and bat boxes, delivered an 866% gain in biodiversity.
The building was constructed using low-carbon materials, including recycled steel, pre-cast brick slip panels that create the appearance of a brick wall while using less material, and GGBS concrete, which incorporates waste from the steel industry to reduce embodied carbon. Wherever possible, materials with recycled content or from local suppliers were a key consideration. All timber used in the construction is Forest Stewardship Council certified.
Using hydrogenated vegetable oil biofuel instead of traditional fuels during the construction process delivered a big saving in carbon emissions.
These efforts to make 7 Roberts Close as environmentally sustainable as possible are part of our strategy across the wider development, including living rooftops, rainwater harvesting, investment in environmental education with our community partners and more. We’re also working with the Local Green Connections Group, made up of local nature groups and environmental organisations, to ensure all our management plans are working together to enhance the biodiversity of the entire peninsula.
Elena Lledo, Lead Architect on Canada Water 7 Roberts Close and Residential Studio Lead at Morris, said:
“Morris+Company’s goal was to create homes that genuinely enrich the community while setting new standards for sustainable design. Working collaboratively the full design team prioritised building high-quality, affordable homes that respond to local needs – long before we were required to.
“We took a holistic approach to sustainability by using responsibly sourced materials, and designing vibrant, biodiverse spaces that go far beyond typical expectations. These homes are not just buildings; they are thoughtfully crafted places that foster community and connection while minimising environmental impact. Seeing them come to life and become part of the neighbourhood has been incredibly rewarding.”
Look out for more on our environmental strategy in upcoming articles and read about our work to boost biodiversity across the development here.
For more on our sustainability strategy across the development click here.
