community led housing london

supported-past

Brockley Tenants Co-operative

An established housing co-operative seeking to expand and adapt to the changing needs of their residents.

Brockley Tenants’ Co-operative has been in existence for forty years as a Registered Provider and owns 90 units across Lewisham.

Having paid off most of their mortgages, they are now looking to expand their housing stock to provide more social housing for those in need. This expansion will also allow them to adapt to the changing needs of their elderly residents, some of whom are no longer suited to their existing housing stock.

How we’re helping:

We are supporting Brockley Tenants with long term business planning to establish what they can do without putting existing homes at risk.

 
Visit their web page

Photograph by Peter Brooker

Ginger Giraffe Collective

A cohousing project aiming to create community housing for both those who have health and social care needs and those who can provide this care.

The aim of Ginger Giraffe Collective is to build a cohousing community comprised of those who have health and social care needs, such as disabled and elderly people, as well as those who can provide the necessary support, such as carers and students.

The project was formed by a group of disabled people, academics, key workers practising in the field and students who came together to reimagine the delivery of health, social care, and housing.

Guided by the principle of co-production, their housing model not only ensures that individuals’ care and support needs are met but also addresses the issue of housing affordability for key workers and allows students to receive a unique service-user based learning experience whilst on placement.

How we’re helping
We helped develop clarity to their innovative model and how it would work in practice, supporting an initial business plan.

Visit their website

Holloway Cohousing

A cohousing community forming part of the Holloway Women’s Prison redevelopment.

The group aims to create a cohousing community of 20-30 households as part of the plans to redevelop the former Holloway Women’s Prison site in Islington. This would be a key part of the overall development of 1,100 homes and community facilities, including the Women’s Building.

They are developing plans in consultation with Peabody Housing Association and wider communities. The group are holding regular meetings to share ideas and encourage anyone interested to join the discussion.

How we’re helping
We have advised on the early stages of building interest from potential members and promoted outreach.

 
Visit their web page

Fleet Cohousing

The group is formed mostly of older households looking to downsize, with a very narrow search area around Dartmouth Park, with clear idea of why they want to be there.
The scheme could include housing for younger people as well as respite care, although they are not looking for new members until the site is clear.

Cohousing London East

A small group looking at building a mixed tenure, inter-generational, eco-community in North East London.

The group have a mix of ages, skills and ethnicities, brought together by shared values and ideals. They hope to build a community where they can live in affordable well-designed homes with others who share that desire. Some members have been researching and networking for some time, and are beginning to develop a group looked at decision-making methods such as sociocracy.

How we’re helping
We are helping clarify objectives, and have previously put them in contact with an interested developer about a site in Lea Bridge.

Visit their Facebook page