community led housing london

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other case studies

Nubia Way

A black-led self-build co-operative who built 13 sustainable timber frame homes in the mid 1990s.

Number of homes 13 social rented homes
Location Downham, Lewisham
Completed on site 1997

Fusions Jameen was set up as a black-led self-build co-operative, inspired by projects like Greenstreet Hill. The prospective residents organised the construction work and physically built their own homes, acting as contractors for CHISEL Housing Association, who took ownership of completed homes, and offered discounted social rents in return for self-builder residents’ labour.

Construction was based on the timber frame method pioneered by architect Walter Segal, although it had to be updated to meet more recent construction standards. The houses incorporate energy saving features and environmentally-healthy specifications. Fusions Jameen also built other schemes such as Lowther Hill.

 
A recent film crowdfunded by the Architecture Foundation documents the challenging self-build process, and the sense of community that was established through that.

Marmalade Lane

The Marmalade Lane project provides 42 homes on the edge of Cambridge following a partnership between the council, a cohousing group, and an enabling developer.

Number of homes 42 market value homes
Location Orchard Park, North Cambridge
Project Stage Built 2018
jump to project video

How the project came about
The project was initiated by the property team at Cambridge City Council, who were exploring alternative ways to develop the K1 parcel of the wider Orchard Park development area, following the 2008 financial crash. There was still a strong directive to secure the maximum receipt for council-owned land to help recoup the significant investment in site infrastructure. At this time much of the Orchard Park development area was incomplete, and the site had not been connected to public transport. The City Council had good contacts with residents living nearby and was willing to listen to ideas including suggestions from fledgling self-build groups and cohousing communities. Cambridgeshire Horizons, responsible for the county’s growth strategy, commissioned a feasibility study which identified how self-build cohousing could unlock the site and secure a receipt for the land. It was important that whoever took the site on was able to deliver, so the council proposed to sell a long lease to a development partner, with an agreement obliging them to build the scheme to a client brief agreed with a cohousing group. The developer would take most of the risk and sell the completed homes to members of the cohousing group. The council was also clear that it would not be subsidising housing, as affordable housing was provided on other parcels already.

How the group formed
The council hired project enablers to recruit a new site-specific cohousing group, drawing partly on the existing membership of the Enlinca Cohousing group, which had been established for many years, but had not been able to acquire a suitable site in a competitive land market. Cambridge Cohousing Ltd was formed in 2013 and worked with enablers to develop a detailed design brief over a 6-month period with structured workshops and visits in the evenings and weekends.
Towards the end of the process, the brief was developed into an illustrative design that was submitted as an updated outline planning permission in May 2014 and increased the number of homes by nearly 20%.
This process was an important part of building the cohesion of the group around shared values, and developing an understanding of how to manage the interplay between shared and private space that is critical to the success of cohousing.

Procuring an enabling developer
The council initiated the tender process to procure a development partner in December 2014, with the contract being awarded on both cost and quality. All the bidders had to submit a pricing schedule as part of their tender. Tenders were evaluated jointly by the council and Cambridge Cohousing Ltd. This method of procurement relied on the earlier preparatory work by the cohousing group to ensure that the winning scheme would meet their needs. TOWNhus, a partnership between developer TOWN and Swedish housing company Trivselhus, was selected along with Mole Architects in May 2015, although it took further time before the development agreement was signed. The group continued to build their membership, and to work with the enablers to develop the proposals.

Design and Construction
In line with the cohousing group’s illustrative scheme, Mole Architects produced a scheme that offered multiple options within terraced streets, some with ground-floor and walk-up apartments, and a three-storey apartment building. Design work took place with the cohousing group as a whole and with sub-committees. There were workshop sessions on the design of the Common House, open spaces, homes, and energy strategy. All the homes were designed with several customisation options, including the arrangement of internal walls and number of rooms on each floor. The group developed the customisation process with the enabling developer.
The Common House, a key feature of cohousing, is in located in the northern part of the scheme, strengthening the relationship with the shared garden that weaves between the homes. A block of 2-bed apartments shares a lift core with the Common House and there is also a shared workshop in the south-west of the scheme, with apartments above it. Car parking is located at the edges of the scheme so as not to impede on shared spaces. The developer wanted to improve the financial viability of the scheme by increasing the number of units from 38 to 42 as part of the full planning application, submitted in late 2015. Most of the homes were allocated by the time planning permission was given in 2016.
The project was built using the Trivselhus high environmental performance timber building system from Sweden. Construction commenced in mid-2017 and was completed in late 2018.

Moving in
Demand for an intergenerational group of growing families, singles, couples, and downsizers, was established early on. The council also required at least 18 households were signed up in order to proceed with a planning application. Most of the members were reasonably local, but others moved from further afield.
Some group members encountered problems securing mortgages, which are typically only valid for a maximum of six months. To address this, the developer offered two purchasing routes. The first allowed residents to make an early exchange, which worked well for those releasing equity. The second route asked residents to make a payment of 2.5% of the property’s value upon the receipt of planning permission to reserve the homes with no legal obligation to buy.
On completion, individual homes were sold to occupiers on long leases, with the freehold of the site transferring to the cohousing company which also owns all the shared internal and external spaces. Every household has to be a member of the company limited by guarantee. A service charge applies to all properties and is set by all homeowners through the company.
All prices are at open market values and cover the cost of communal facilities like the Common House and workshop. To join the project, prospective residents had to pay a one-off, non-refundable membership fee of £250 and an refundable investment of £1,000 in Cambridge Cohousing Ltd to secure a place on the allocation list. Those buying a home also had to invest an additional £3,000 in Cambridge Cohousing Ltd to contribute to the company’s legal and enabler fees. These costs were agreed by consensus.

 
Visit the group’s website

 

Photos by David Butler, video by Jim Stephenson for Mole Architects and Town
case study based on information from Stephen Hill and Sam Brown

Coin Street

The process from community campaign into community developer shows what residents can achieve. A flexible organisational structure has allowed accountability to members and successful self-managed social housing delivery.

Number of homes 220 affordable homes with other uses
Location South Bank
Project Stage Several schemes since 1998

How they formed
Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB) grew out of campaigns against commercial development in the area in the late 70s, which had led to the loss of residents and closure of schools, shops, and open spaces. The remaining residents organised themselves to carry out a lengthy campaign for an alternative planning strategy based around affordable housing and open space. Only local people could be members of CSCB and select the board of directors. The board are mainly local residents, with others brought in for specialist skills.

Securing the site
The campaign worked with borough councils and the Greater London Council (GLC) to put in place planning policy for the area which limited the value of the land from £4m to £1m. Before its abolition the GLC acquired the land from the developers and local authorities and sold it on to Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB), a non-profit company set up to purchase the land and take the development forward.

Funding and Finance 
The GLC had funded the initiative to undertake feasibility studies and development work, which was eventually turned into a loan and repaid once the land was purchased. CSCB borrowed money to finance the £1m site purchase including from the GLC and the Greater London Enterprise Board, as well as private lenders. They used Housing Corporation grants towards the costs of developing the social housing. They have also raised funding from commercial endeavours, such as the refurbishment of the Oxo Tower, to invest money back into the area. In the initial phases the group raised revenue through temporary uses to start to pay back their loans and create surpluses for their development schemes.

Design and Construction
The Coin Street Secondary Housing Cooperative, a Registered Provider of social housing, developed family accommodation for around 1,000 people. The developments are leased to four independent fully mutual housing co-ops, where only residents are members. The Mulberry Housing Co-op was the first housing scheme to be completed in 1998. In the same year a temporary market at Gabriel’s Wharf opened up a public space along the riverside and brought small businesses to the neighbourhood. Iroko Housing Co-op was opened in 2002 designed by Haworth Tompkins Architects to very high standards and energy saving elements made possible through CSCB’s economic independence. The neighbourhood centre offering a mix of local facilities and services, childcare and income generating conference spaces was opened in 2007.

Living there
The co-operatives foster a collective commitment to the homes. The management is the responsibility of the co-operatives, who can respond quickly to the needs of people living there. New tenants are not expected to have previous knowledge of housing management but can take part in decision making for their communities and help manage the properties. New tenants are required to complete training which gives them a sense of responsibility and the skills required for this stewardship role.

Find out more

Coin Street Palm Housing Co-op

Greenstreet Hill

A self-build housing co-operative built in timber frame, around a communal garden, in the early 1990s.

Number of homes 11 affordable units
Location Brockley
Completed on site 1993

Group

CHISEL Housing Association helped to facilitate the formation of a housing co-operative, and supported the establishment of the project. The co-operative members were actively involved in selecting architects and the designs of the project. They had to contribute a certain number of hours to the construction of the project every week, alongside formal employment or other duties, as a condition of the affordable housing grant.

The original residents organised the construction work and physically built their own homes, learning a great deal through the process.

Site
The site off Drakefell Road in Brockley was originally owned by the Council, but had not been used for council housing by the 1990s. As a relatively small site it was available for development.

Design
Car parking is provided in one part of site, leaving the rest of the site available to group houses around a shared garden space in the middle of the site. Access to individual homes increases the chance of bumping into neighbours and building a strong sense of community.

The houses were designed in close consultation with the group and individuals. Variations to the basic layout were easily achievable as the wall elements are independent of the structural frame.

Construction
The simple timber frame method was pioneered by architect Walter Segal on self-build schemes in the early 1980s, although it has had to be developed and updated to meet more recent construction standards. It has been particularly suitable for people without previous building experience as it makes economical use of ‘off the shelf’ materials, detailed to require as little cutting as possible, while keeping the construction process largely ‘on-site’.

The structure uses small pad foundations at the foot of each post. This allows development close to mature trees without expensive retaining structures. The houses incorporate energy saving features and environmentally-healthy specifications.

Walterton & Elgin Community Homes

Walterton & Elgin Community Homes (WECH) is a successful resident-controlled housing association and community land trust in Westminster.

In 1985 the Walterton & Elgin estate was threatened with being sold off to private developers. Residents were neither consulted nor informed. Walterton & Elgin Action Group was formed in response. After various protests and petitions in 1988 they used the Tenant Choice Provision of 1988 Housing Act to transfer ownership of the estate to the community, forming WECH and receiving the transfer of 640 homes from the Council in 1992. WECH implemented extensive refurbishment and redevelopment soon after.

WECH currently nearing the completion of 43 new infill homes – 12 for London Affordable Rent and 31 at London Living Rent levels – as well as a new community centre, nursery, offices, communal roof gardens, and improved play facilities and security. The new design process was carried out in collaboration with residents so the homes could meet individual needs, and make the most of new accommodation. Residents have remained in their homes throughout the building works, even though some of the work has involved adding additional floors to existing buildings.

 
Visit their website