community led housing london

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.

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

Endlesham Hall

Endlesham Hall hosts a wide range of activities and events and has been at the heart of community life in this part of Balham since 1936. While it is still a popular venue, the building is rapidly ageing.

Number of homes 9 London Affordable Rent homes
Location Balham
Stage Planning granted 2023

The community membership of the independent church, who own the site, are working on creating a new multipurpose hall that reflects their values and becomes a special place for the community along with 9 affordable rented homes for younger key-workers above.

How we’re helping
We facilitated workshops on housing and governance structures and funded a design and viability study commissioned through an invited community selection process. The architects carried out feasibility work, which helped to secure further funding for a planning application. We have also provided feedback on financial modelling and have encouraged the church community to ask the right questions of prospective partners. Our associate adviser, Andy Redfearn, supported liaison with a Registered Provider, and contributed to the planning application, which was granted in March 2023.

Visit their website

Follow their social media