Sanford are looking to expand housing and provide community facilities on their own land.
Sanford is a fully mutual housing co-operative in South East London. Initiated by housing activists in the late sixties who lobbied government to establish more coops. In 1973, Lewisham Council agreed to hand over the derelict site on Sanford Street for a pilot project, which became the first purpose built housing co-op in the UK.
Today there are around 125 tenant-members living in 14 houses and a block of flats. Each house is occupied by between 8-10 tenants. Each member is allocated their own bedroom and shares a kitchen, living room and three toilets. There are six self-contained flats in the block which include a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom. Residents enjoy shared gardens growing organic vegetables and a system of ponds and permaculture. They also have a new bike store.
How we’re helping
Members wished to expand and provide a new community and performance space. We awarded funding for feasibility of future development. The co-op reached internal agreement over a brief, shortlisted architects, and ran a competition process in order to appoint Hayatsu Architects. Feasibility is now underway we are also advising on financial modelling.