Enfield has become the first borough in London to build 25 new council homes on top of existing blocks of flats.

The £13.1 million project on Lytchet Way saw the addition of a new storey to three blocks of flats, providing a total of 21 extra two-bed units and four one-bed units for social rent.

This enabled the council and construction firm Mullalley and Co to provide new homes at an average cost of £130,000 each – significantly lower than the £275,000 cost of an average new build in the area.

The blocks of flats were also refurbished with new doors, windows and entry phone systems, as well as environmental improvements such as rainwater gardens and upgraded play grounds.

Funded using Right to Buy receipts – money retained by the council following the sale of council housing – the additional homes were designed to ensure they are fully integrated with the existing blocks.

Enfield council Leader Cllr Nesil Caliskan said: “This is a brilliant initiative which has enabled us to use Right to Buy receipts to build new homes at a substantially lower cost than building a new block or buying homes on the open market. It demonstrates an innovative, cost-effective and sensible way of providing badly needed new homes.

“I sincerely hope that we will be able to deliver many more similar projects across Enfield in the coming years as part of wider efforts to increase the supply of social housing.”

Cllr Caliskan and Enfield Council’s planning committee chair Cllr Mahmut Aksanoglu met tenants and welcomed them to their new home on Monday, June 4.