Lewisham Community Builds Its Own Homes

The average price of a house in the city was £720k last year, which is substantially higher than the average price nationwide.

Too costly for a lot of Londoners, this left a void in the market, which the southeast’s self-build project filled.

Residents of Ladywell, Lewisham, have begun to occupy the 36 price-capped homes in the neighbourhood.

Some rooms in the property, such as the kitchen and bathroom, are already completed. Residents then construct the other spaces with the assistance of self-build managers, an architect, and a carpenter who provides instruction.

And the scheme is proving popular, with the waiting time for a property currently at nine years.

Rory Wakefield, a musician, is still in the process of building his home and is currently working on laying his floors.

A month ago, he paid around £300,000 for his property.

He was excited to become a first-time homeowner and claims to have been a longstanding supporter of the programme.

He said, “I wouldn’t have been able to get a house without this scheme. It makes it affordable.

“I was born and raised in Lewisham, and I would never have been able to stay here without this scheme.

“It is a very positive scheme. They should definitely make more, they need them. 

“The government just want to put up things that make money quickly; they don’t actually care about helping people.”

Being able to construct some of the property himself allowed Mr Wakefield greater creative latitude, which he also liked.

The 31-year-old added, “I want it to look the way I want. 

“I am into the philosophy of building a sustainable space and community. That is why I wanted to be involved.”

The new development is made up of 36 homes and has taken 15 years from conception to completion.

The homes are part of a community land trust, meaning they are owned by a non-profit organisation, which keeps them affordable.

There are several sizes and tenures available for the units, including social rent, part-buy, part-rent, and complete ownership.

Just over a month has passed since Martin Oroyan, 61, and his three kids moved into their part-rent, part-buy property, and he is loving the sense of community it offers.

Although the ambulance worker will not disclose the purchase price, he claims to have spent 25% of the property’s worth.

He said, “We have been involved in this project here in Ladywell since its inception in 2016 and it has been quite an experience. 

“My partner and I were first-time buyers and had been trying to get ‘on the ladder’ for several years.

“Our three boys were born while living in Forest Hill, and we hoped to avoid moving, changing schools, and the general upheaval that implies. 

“Without this project, we wouldn’t have been able to afford living within the M25.”

It’s a great idea, especially for young single people and couples in low-paid jobs who can’t get social housing, and at least something is being done. However, there are plenty of council properties in the capital that are being left empty for weeks, months, and sometimes years without any people living in them.

If councils leave their dwellings empty, then they should be fined the weekly or monthly rental they would be getting if a family lived there.