Britain’s first women-only social housing tower approved

Only single women will be able to take a tenancy, and men will only be able to live in the tower block if they become a tenant’s partner. The only way a tenant could be male is if they are the adult child of a female tenant and inherit the tenancy.

Transgender women, including people intending to undergo gender reassignment, will be allowed, but men who cross-dress, transgender men and anyone with a known history of male violence against women or children will not.

Women’s Pioneer Housing will develop and manage the estate with support from L&Q through their Build London Partnership programme for small housing associations.

Each home will have a balcony and will be designed specifically for women. Details could include ventilation to ensure comfort for menopausal women, the landlord said.

Works are expected to start on site this summer.

There is a “huge existing demand for this type of housing”, L&Q said. In Ealing alone, there are over 600 single women on the social housing waiting list.

Women’s Pioneer Housing is one of two specialised housing associations for women in the UK. It works with women’s refuges, homelessness agencies and women’s organisations to provide long-term safe, secure and affordable homes.

Tracey Downey, chief executive of Women’s Pioneer Housing, said: “We strongly believe that providing more good-quality, affordable homes for women is critically important, particularly during this cost of living and energy crisis.

“We are more than just bricks and mortar. We support our residents’ independence and well-being, and this new building will provide a real home for many women in dire need.”

Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath, development growth director at L&Q, said: “There is a lot to be proud of regarding this new building.

“The ongoing cost of living crisis has pushed so many Londoners onto housing waiting lists, and we truly believe that it is often with the help of small builders and specialised housing associations like Women’s Pioneer Housing that we can create truly inclusive and diverse communities.”