Reclaiming Regeneration in London Building community power for affordable housing
When: 2016 – 2018 Where: London, UK Who was involved: Citizens UK, The East London Citizens Organisation (TELCO), London Community Land Trust
Caroline, a 51-year-old resident of Redbridge in London, is a secondary school teacher and a community organiser with The East London Citizens Organisation (TELCO), part of the Citizens UK network. Passionate about her local community, she has campaigned on key issues such as inequality, housing, jobs, and wages throughout her life. Caroline’s goal is to ensure everyone has access to affordable housing and to give local people a voice in the changes happening in their borough. The challenges Caroline and her neighbours faced were intensified by the 2012 Olympics, which led to reduced access to secure housing, legacy developments, and increased displacement into Redbridge. They also struggled to understand the processes of development and regeneration, making it difficult to influence decisions that deeply affected their lives.
In 2016, Caroline attended a series of workshops called ‘Reclaiming Regeneration’, co-organised by Architecture Sans Frontières UK and TELCO. These sessions brought together TELCO community organisers from Redbridge, Newham, Hackney, and Tower Hamlets, along with experts from ASF-UK, who shared valuable insights into UK planning and urban regeneration. Over six weeks, participants explored key topics such as home and housing, inclusive regeneration, and action planning. The workshops included interactive activities like role-playing and mapping, all designed to deepen participants’ understanding of local planning issues. Each session resulted in a set of practical action plans tailored to the specific needs of each area.
Reclaiming Regeneration in London Building community power for affordable housing
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