With more than 10,000 households on the housing register and 2,450 households living in temporary accommodation, the council said the partnership is designed to help tackle Lewisham's housing crisis by delivering new homes faster and at greater scale.

Under the partnership, the council and Hill will work together to deliver new homes and regeneration projects across the borough over the next 10 years, with the potential to extend for a further five years.

The agreement can span up to £1.5bn of construction delivery in Lewisham, the council said.

Rather than appointing a different developer for every project, the council will work directly with Hill.

The housebuilder also said it is committed to creating new local jobs, skills training and education opportunities as well as investment in the community, ensuring local people benefit from development in their neighbourhoods.

The partnership will support different types of housing projects.

In some cases, the council will develop and own the affordable homes. In others, Hill will invest in the development, with the council given first choice to buy the affordable homes.

The first projects as part of the partnership are already underway and include 113 affordable homes, 39 homes for social rent and 74 shared ownership homes in Thomas’ Lane Yard, Catford and 278 new homes and 122 homes for social rent in the Achilles Street estate regeneration project.

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Councillor Daniel Dream, cabinet member for inclusive regeneration, planning and housing delivery, said: “With more than 10,000 households on the housing register and nearly 2,500 families in temporary accommodation, we need to build the homes our community needs faster.

“This partnership cuts red tape and gives the council greater control over quality, affordability and delivery.

“We are looking forward to working with The Hill Group, an award-winning housebuilder with a proven track record, to deliver the homes, jobs and investment our community needs over the next decade.”

Andy Hill, founder and chief executive of The Hill Group, said: “We look forward to working together to help deliver the borough's ambitious housing and regeneration programme.

“What makes this partnership particularly important is the opportunity to combine our expertise in regeneration, placemaking and delivery with the council's vision for the future of Lewisham.

“Long-term partnerships such as this create the certainty and alignment needed to unlock technically complex sites, enable more efficient delivery and ensure developments genuinely reflect the needs of local communities.

“Our track record has been built on successful partnerships with local authorities and housing providers across London and the South East, and we are excited to bring that experience to Lewisham as we begin work on Thomas' Lane Yard, Achilles Street and future projects across the borough."