communityled.homes

We support people making homes together through Cohousing, Community Land Trusts, and Housing Co-operatives

current

Bow Creek Moorings

A group of boaters, currently using a private marina, setting up co-operative residential moorings to create a secure and sustainable community.

The project will provide safe and secure moorings for up to 10 boats, and bring new life to Bow Creek, helping to revitalise the river, and recognising the vital part it has played in the history of London.
As a co-operative, each boat will have a share in the ownership, management and responsibility for running the site. This will provide control over living and work arrangements and financial stability in contrast to the operation of commercial private marinas.

How we’re helping
We’re supporting negotiations with stakeholders to establish the project.

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Rising Sun Housing Co-op

The Rising Sun Housing Co-operative was formed by a group of creatives living in a former pub, when their landlord put it on the market. They are seeking investment to finalise the purchase and secure their homes.

The building is used as both a home and workspace. It contains facilities such as a recording studio, rehearsal space, intimate venue and design studio which members of the community are allowed to use free of charge. On top of this, it provides crucial and increasingly rare affordable housing and a space for young creatives to build networks and meet other like-minded people. In short, The Rising Sun is a hub for all manner of creative outputs and a staple part of the local art and music culture.

The residents formed the co-operative to buy the pub from the landlord who recently put it on the market. This will allow them to provide additional affordable housing and studio space for their members. Having already improved their EPC rating from an F to a D, the co-operative is also looking to take further measures to improve the energy efficiency of the building, including loft insulation, new draught proofing, more double glazing and solar panels.

The Rising Sun have raised almost three-quarters of the equity they need to secure the space, but are still looking for investors to raise the rest as loan stock with attractive rates of interest.

 

How we’re helping
We supported their incorporation and helped to commission financial modelling and business planning, which has helped the co-op secure mortgages in principle, and prepare their loan stock offer. We have been directly involved in negotiating with the landowner and agents to get their offer accepted, and bringing solicitors on board and are on hand to see the deal through.

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Bonny Downs Cohousing

A local charity founded by a Baptist church seeking to redevelop their church hall to provide a bespoke space for community activities and affordable housing for those in need.

Bonny Downs Church owns a small, old church hall building which is used for their weekly foodbank, community meal, winter night shelter, and skills courses.

Working in collaboration with the New Way project, their vision is to build an ‘urban abbey’ that will be an intentional community bringing together people from different backgrounds who are committed to sharing life with and supporting one another, united by a common goal of tackling poverty. The ground floor will have community space and a chapel, with housing above. Four to six studio homes will welcome vulnerable single people, who have experienced homelessness, who will stay for an agreed period of supported tenancy, alongside two flats for community workers. A shared kitchen and lounge will facilitate communal living, where residents will regularly prepare and eat meals together. Everyone will help maintain the house and garden together. Residents will also be invited to volunteer at the daytime services for homeless people based on the ground floor. Acting as a therapeutic community, it will be a place to rebuild lives and to foster purpose and belonging.

How we’re helping
We have helped them complete an initial feasibility study on the site, and have supported them to appoint Panter Hudspith as architects to take the project further. Our adviser Andy Redfearn has helped in preparing a planning application, and we have initiated discussions with potential lenders and partners.

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Plum Tree Co-op

A group of property guardians living in an un-used council-owned children’s centre, have been having problems with the property guardian company, who haven’t been maintaining the building, and intimidating them with intrusive behaviour.

The guardian company was liquidated in November 2019 after being found guilty of 15 charges in relation to other HMOs. The property is now managed by a new company, but with the same directors.

The residents have put a proposal to LB Croydon to pass meanwhile management to the residents collectively. They have been repairing the building and have established a communal garden and living space.

How we’re helping
We have provided information about other short-life co-ops with meanwhile leases or licences, and example contracts to LB Croydon, with the Confederation of Cooperative Housing, and supported the co-op’s incorporation.

 
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St Andrews Place

Self-builders who have purchased a small piece of land for 2 homes with ambitions to create a 5 home cohousing scheme.

A family of self-builders purchased a small piece of Diocese of London land, and have now received planning permission for 2 homes. They are also interested in an adjacent piece of inaccessible land to allow a further 3 units to be built, to create a small cohousing project.

How we’re helping
We provided advice in securing the first site and assisted on negotiating Heads of Terms. We are also advising on the strategy to secure the larger cohousing project.

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