community led housing london

Surge Co-op

Surge Co-operative aims to create sustainable and affordable moorings for larger boats and barges in London, making use of underused historic wharves in the Lower Lea.

Surge is a non-profit organisation set up with the primary focus to reanimate tidal water spaces with affordable, co-operatively run moorings. They are nurturing the heritage and biodiversity of the area and building lasting community links on land and water.

The group are collaborating with Thames Water to transform a strip of land and reinstate barge moorings, enabling the local community to have better river access for clean-ups and other ecological activities. This is part of a wider plan to provide and nurture affordable co-operative moorings, giving much needed security of tenure to a community of boaters with larger boats along the River Lea and further afield.

How we’re helping
We are providing guidance on how to engage landowners and continue negotiations, as well as financial modelling.

Visit their website

Homes in Mind

Homes in Mind aims to provide transitional housing for people with mental health issues before or after they enter institutions.

The concept has been developed by the local mental health charity Mind in Harrow, and empowers people with experience of mental health issues in defining mutually supportive housing. It aims to support people to live a healthier and more active life; promoting independence, inclusion and wellbeing; giving people the support they need to be as independent as they choose. Critically, in enabling people with mental health problems to live independently, the scheme will help prevent mental health deterioration. This will impact on homelessness, reduce the need for step-up supported accommodation and reduce demand for inpatient stays.

Feasibility work has explored the provision of small schemes across various council owned sites, and there is approval to focus on two infill sites. The project is now moving towards a planning application.

How we’re helping
We have worked to define the co-production and community led nature of the project and helped to incorporate a suitable organisational form, which ensures the intended residents are part of the governance of the organisation.
We provided funding and advice to refine the designs, site capacity, and viability modelling with a team of consultants, and are continuing to provide advice to the Homes in Mind board on development and partnership options with potential Registered Providers.

 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

Heads2Gether

Heads2Gether aim to provide mutually supportive and secure affordable interim housing for single parents on low incomes.

Heads2Gether formed as a group of single parents during experiences in temporary accommodation, but involve other families and individuals from Croydon. Their key aim is to provide safe, secure, mutually supportive, affordable homes for their members as well as the establishment of community childcare.

How we’re helping
We have held workshops and advised on incorporation. We introduced pro-bono architectural support and went through outline viability to support a their bid for the Lawns site in Croydon. Our support helped turn an idea into a credible proposal which impressed the Council.
More recently we helped incorporate Heads2Gether as a Housing Co-operative, and identified a site and sympathetic landowner. We are facilitating a partnership with a housing association to co-produce a development on this site, and been working on the terms of the development with a view to focusing on management and allocation arrangements in due course.

 Read more about their story

 

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.