E16 CLT was established by People’s Empowerment Alliance for Custom House (PEACH), a community organisation, in 2018 as a resident-led response to the proposed regeneration of Custom House.
PEACH is part of the Big Local programme and was set up in 2013 by residents to address local issues, one of them being housing. Residents felt that the regeneration of the area needed to be led by the community and began to develop an alternative regeneration strategy. It involved a year long period of engagement and research with a team of community organisers, architects, and local residents in training.
The need for affordable homes managed by the community for the community was a priority raised in our research which led to E16 CLT being set up. The community land trust currently has 175 members, with a vast majority living in the local area.
Following residents’ concerns over the management of their homes, E16 have taken on the management of 10 units owned by the local authority and intend to take take on more. They are looking to also build homes and have indentified two sites in the later phases of the area’s masterplan.
E16 have been working closely with LB Newham and have elected Commmunity Representatives to have an active role in the design, viability and planning of the masterplan.