Families to move into homes they helped design in Ladywell, Lewisham

By Melissa Kasule

Up to 33 families will be able to move into new homes they have helped design themselves.

Blocks in Church Grove, Ladywell will make up London’s largest community-led affordable self-build housing project.

Families will be accommodated with a range of homes up to four-bedroom properties and granted housing on a 250-year lease.

The properties designed by the residents and volunteers will be cheaper than equivalent properties.

Plans led by Community Land Trust The Rural Urban Synthesis Society (RUSS) achieved this because the land will be held in a Community Land Trust, so the homes will be valued based mainly on the value of the building – not the building and land.

The residents have also had the homes designed so they are simple and cost-effective to build. It is also proposed that they will do some of the construction work themselves, further bringing down the costs.

Lewisham Mayor Damien Egan signed the lease for the plot of land, which was developed in partnership with Lewisham council.

A capsule was created on the site in celebration, containing items that represented Lewisham in 2020 and a letter from Mr Egan.

He explained the borough’s diversity, its support for refugees and its ambition to build 1,000 new social housing properties.

RUSS chair Anurgag Verma said: “It’s been a long haul getting our project to this stage, and Lewisham Council has supported us on many occasions along the journey.

“Our site at the end of Church Grove is one of the main things they’ve assisted us with, so the signing of the lease on the land is an important hurdle for us to clear.”

Plans to build the community hub have been completed, constructed by more than 90 RUSS volunteers over the last six months.

The community land trust aims to start building the homes on the one-acre site this year.