Redefining Affordable Living In London

American architects Munkenbeck and Marshall redefine affordable and shared-ownership living in London with what looks like a super-luxury development.

1 minute read

May 6, 2006, 1:00 PM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"How on earth does anyone get on the housing ladder in London these days - particularly the people we need to have living among us such as doctors, nurses, teachers? You can find one very elegant answer to this conundrum near Old Street on the City/Hoxton fringes. There, the highly-regarded Peabody Trust has built an exemplary apartment complex aimed at -- well, everyone, really.

...Nile Street contains 175 homes, of which 128 count as "affordable".

...You buy a 35 per cent share of a flat valued at £193,000. Your mortgage payment on that portion is £430 a month, while your rent and service charge on the remaining 65 per cent is £360: so total monthly outgoings are £790. Usually a couple buys into a flat in this way, dividing the costs between them. The bottom line is that -- if you have no savings -- a couple needs a joint income of £35,600 in order to buy into a shared ownership flat of this kind."

Wednesday, May 3, 2006 in Gabion, by Hugh Pearman

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

15 minutes ago - KQED

Tents inhabited by unhoused people lined up on sidewalk in Los Angeles, California in front of industrial building.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling

An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.

1 hour ago - Times of San Diego

Route 66 motel neon sign.

Albuquerque Route 66 Motels Become Affordable Housing

A $4 million city fund is incentivizing developers to breathe new life into derelict midcentury motels.

2 hours ago - High Country News

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.