St Clement's Takes Top Prize at Housing Awards
The East London Community Land Trust’s innovative housing development at St Clement’s, Mile End, has won two prestigious industry awards. The development at the St Clement’s Hospital site is home to London’s, and the UK’s first urban, community land trust scheme. On Thursday 11 September the project won the overall award for ‘Provider of the Year’ as well as the ‘Best Scheme in Planning’ award at the National Housing Awards.
A community land trust (CLT) is a non-profit, membership organisation, run by local people, that develops permanently affordable housing for long-term community benefit.
The East London Community Land Trust (ELCLT) has been, in partnership with Galliford Try (Linden Homes), developing the St Clement’s site in Mile End with the GLA since July 2012 as part of the Mayor’s commitment to creating affordable homes across the capital. Architects John Thompson and Partners have done an outstanding job in supporting the community led design process for this development.
The ELCLT will determine the cost of its homes, starting with local wages in a borough and figuring out what local people can afford. Homes prices are linked to earning, not the market rate, so therefore remain permanently affordable.
Andy Schofield, East London Community Land Trust said:
"We are delighted to be part of the team that has won these awards. The ELCLT was born out of a campaign by Citizens UK in east London, who believes there is a need for a different way of building homes. The places we live should be affordable, and the way they look and work, should be driven by local people.
“We hope to repeat the success of this partnership in other locations, including as part of the Olympic Park housing developments. We are actively promoting the inclusion of a community land trust at the Olympic site.
“We are determined to make sure that the new St Clement's is an even better place for communities to live and enjoy than the designs promise."
The St Clement’s site, which was originally Bow Workhouse in the mid-Victorian period, includes a historic Grade II listed building that is being restored for community use. The site will deliver 252 housing units, including 58 social rented properties managed by Peabody and 23 units for the ELCLT comprising one, two and three bedroom properties.
The ELCLT’s AGM will be held on 17th September 2014 at University of East London. The room is AE.1.01 lecture theatre at Stratford Campus, Water Lane, London E15 4LZ. Proceedings will start at 6pm. The highlight of the AGM is the annual John Davis Lecture, named after the greatest living exponent of CLTs in the USA. This year’s lecture will be given by UK regeneration and CLT expert, Stephen Hill, and is open to all to attend.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The National Housing Awards is a yearly event that celebrates the best projects in the affordable housing sector.
The prizes were awarded to the partnership team involved with the development of the St Clement’s site comprising: John Thompson & Partners Architects, Galliford Try, Linden Homes, GLA, East London Community Land Trust and Peabody.