community led housing london

other case studies

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.

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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. The Walterton & Elgin Action Group was formed in response. After various protests and petitions they used the Tenant Choice Provisions of the 1988 Housing Act to transfer ownership of the estate to the community, forming WECH and receiving 640 homes from the Council in 1992. WECH implemented extensive refurbishment and redevelopment soon after.

WECH recently completed 43 new infill homes on it’s own land – 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. Some of the work has involved adding additional floors to existing buildings, but residents have remained in their own homes, and WECH have minimised disruption throughout the building works. Keeping residents on board and invested in the process has minimised complaints and dissatisfaction.

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Mace Housing Co-op

Mace Housing Co-op is a fully mutual cooperative who provide housing for single people and homeless families.

Mace manages around 300 properties, leased from housing associations and private owners across eight London boroughs. They employ a number of full time staff and aim to secure leases of at least three years from property owners.

Mace received funding from the Empty Homes Community Grant in 2012 to bring vacant properties in Hackney and Camden back into use. The cooperative also received funding from the local authority and developed a total of 44 units on leases of 10 years. The grant total of £1.25 million was match funded with £800k of private sector funding.

In early 2017, Camden Council awarded Mace a grant from the first round of the Community Housing Fund. They were able to use this to refurbish flats, which they secured on leases of ten years from a private owner, and to re-house three families nominated by the local authority.

The Co-op believes that its members and the communities it serves, should be empowered through practical skills training and launched its SEAP (Skills Empowerment and Advisory Project) Programme last year. The programme is designed specifically for the unemployed and others that are interested in pursuing a career in operational areas of Housing Management.

 

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Quaggy MHOS

A Mutual Home Ownership Society where some rent goes towards building up equity, which members may take out when they leave.

Quaggy MHOS successfully raised loan stock and purchased a property in early 2020.

They are a small group who enjoy shared living but wanted greater control and security than having a private landlord. The Mutual Homes Ownership Society works like a fully mutual co-operative, but allows members to build up equity shares which the society intends to be in a position to pay out when members leave.

 
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