Bringing together architects and community-led housing groups to develop innovative design solutions for difficult urban sites for community-led affordable housing.
At a glance
Housing Advisers Programme case study
2021/22 cohort
What a brilliant opportunity for designers to collaborate on unique propositions for some really interesting infill sites. All of these schemes would benefit some of the communities in Bristol that have a real need.
Design panel member at final design showcase event
Executive summary
The LGA funded HAP project facilitated collaboration between community-led housing (CLH) groups and architects to develop design solutions for constrained urban sites that Bristol City Council were proposing to release for CLH development. Community-led housing has an important role to play in housing delivery, producing homes that meet the needs of communities and unlocking land which otherwise would not be developed. However, urban brownfield sites have many complexities, making them challenging for inexperienced community developers. To address this issue architects were recruited and matched with CLH groups and supported to engage with local communities to develop initial design solutions for sites available through the Council’s Community-led housing land disposal policy. This collaboration informed the CLH groups’ formal bids to become the Council’s development partners. The designs were presented at a final showcase event allowing input of an expert design review panel. Of the five groups involved, three were successful in becoming the Council’s preferred partner across five sites, with potential for up to 44 affordable homes.
The project is an exemplar for collaboration between architects, community groups, the wider CLH sector, academics and the local authority in empowering groups to develop realistic and viable design solutions for successful community-led housing development.
Challenge and context
There are currently over 19,000 applicants on the council's Housing Register. It is estimated that Bristol will need 22,261 new affordable homes over the next 20 years. The Council recognises that community-led housing can contribute to meet that need and supports the development of CLH in Bristol with sites, grant funding and the development of Standards for Governance, Finance and Management of CLH. But we are also very aware of the obstacles met by CLH groups when working on difficult and constrained urban sites. We wanted to tackle the issues met in the community-led housing sector and help meet the demand for CLH in the city by empowering groups to make well-informed bids to become our development partners on selected sites.
What we did
There are currently over 19,000 applicants on the council's Housing Register. It is estimated that Bristol will need 22,261 new affordable homes over the next 20 years. The Council recognises that community-led housing can contribute to meet that need and supports the development of CLH in Bristol with sites, grant funding and the development of Standards for Governance, Finance and Management of CLH. But we are also very aware of the obstacles met by CLH groups when working on difficult and constrained urban sites. We wanted to tackle the issues met in the community-led housing sector and help meet the demand for CLH in the city by empowering groups to make well-informed bids to become our development partners on selected sites.
The difference we made
The bids that we received for the six sites available were well informed, with realistic design proposals that were the result of genuine community engagement. The outcome was that three of the groups were awarded preferred partner status across five of the sites available and the two unsuccessful groups learned and gained confidence from their involvement with the project.
The project also fostered communication and collaboration between architects, the Council and wider Bristol CLH sector, leading the way for further collaboration and instigating relationships with architects that CLH groups can take forward for their future developments. The quality of some of the design work produced was exceptional and excellent value for the funding allowed for each participating architect’s practice (£3,500 per practice).
The concept designs offer valuable examples of technical approaches to challenges typical of constrained brownfield sites and the varied aspirations of the CLH sector, including co-operative and co-housing models with integrated space for the wider community, which could be disseminated in a future design guide for CLH development. The feedback from participants was generally positive with CLH groups saying they felt they had gained confidence to deliver their projects.
This is a really helpful programme which will significantly enhance [CLH group’s] ability to make a well-rounded, viable bid for the site being offered by BCC.
Participant comment
What's next?
The CLH groups selected as development partners will continue to develop their design proposals and seek funding to progress their developments with support from the Council. They will be required to meet specific milestones on their development journey with the aim tostart on site within 36 months and complete within a further two years. Bristol City Council continue to develop our approach to supporting CLH and disseminate our experience from this project and our broader policy commitment to CLH through knowledge exchange with other local authorities and Homes England. We will continue to involve architecture students from the University of the West of England (UWE) with opportunities for them to follow the CLH developments as case studies/research projects.
Lessons learned
- Architects are keen to work with the CLH sector and this should be encouraged by Local Authorities and nurtured by the CLH sector.
- Whilst brownfield sites may have constraints in common, the design solutions will vary according to the aspirations of the CLH group and wider community. Architects working with the CLH sector should be very mindful of understanding their CLH clients and also engaging with the wider community in culturally appropriate ways. The Bristol Somali Resource Centre/ former Tenant’s Hall site is an exemplar of this where both the local Somali community and other local interests such as the Barton Hill local history group and local church are all involved. (See Bristol Somali Resource Centre Design Report attached and consultation illustrations below).
- Design and pre-development/feasibility work is a crucial part of any development and particularly so on constrained sites with community involvement, but unfortunately funding to support CLH groups and fund architects’ involvement in this phase is very limited. This funding gap should be addressed if CLH is to make the valuable contribution to sensitive housing delivery that it has potential for.
- Local authorities can play an important role in fostering CLH development, both by providing land and supporting design initiatives such as that outlined above. However, it is vital to develop the relevant policy framework to make clear the Council’s priorities (affordable housing) and set out expected standards of governance, financial viability and future management alongside design-led initiatives.