Toolkits for estate retrofit
Toolkits
From methods to introduce co-design into retrofit schemes, to resident self-organising strategies, toolkits are useful guides for residents, grassroots organisers and planners alike. The toolkits above bring together knowledge, skills and experience on the topics of resident-led regeneration, the refurbishment of housing estates, and empowerment of existing communities. They can be accessed for free online, among many others.
Community-Led Regeneration: A toolkit for residents and planners
Pablo Sendra and Daniel Fitzpatrick’s Community-Led Regeneration: A toolkit for residents and planners (2020), published by UCL Press, comprises a series of case studies breaking down the actors and conditions underlying current social housing campaigns.
Staying Put: An Anti-Gentrification Handbook for Council Estates in London
Staying Put: An Anti-Gentrification Handbook for Council Estates in London (2014), produced by Just Space in collaboration with London Tenants Federation, Loretta Lees and Southwark Notes Archive Group, shares strategies to help residents self-organise, and resist displacement.
Archio’s Retrofit Co-Design Toolkit
Architecture practice Archio’s Retrofit Co-Design Toolkit (2024) introduces retrofit-specific tools into a co-designing process. The toolkit is aimed towards developing landowners, statutory bodies, design teams and residents to help them navigate the retrofit process from inception to post-completion.
Demolition or Refurbishment of Social Housing? A Review of the Evidence
Demolition or Refurbishment of Social Housing? A Review of the Evidence (2014) authored by students at UCL Urban Lab and Engineering Exchange for Just Space and the London Tenants Federation is a thorough examination of the impact of demolition and refurbishment on existing housing stock.
People's Plans
Rather than just campaigning against demolition, an alternative People’s Plan lays out a clear vision to advocate for. A People’s Plan does not have a statutory standing like a ‘Neighbourhood Plan’ does within the statutory planning process- it instead aims to influence the formal planning process for a given area or upcoming scheme. Developed by residents, with support from spatial practitioners, a People’s Plan can help align the goals of those who are fighting for a cause, and strengthen their argument.
The Alton Estate People’s Plan
The Alton Estate People’s Plan (2021) was produced by the University College London, in collaboration with Alton Action and Just Space, and supported by Research England’s Higher Education Innovation Fund, managed by UCL Innovation & Enterprise. The Alton Estate is situated in the South West London Borough of Wandsworth.
The People’s Plan: Cressingham Gardens Estate
The People’s Plan: Cressingham Gardens Estate (2016) was produced by the residents of Cressingham Gardens Estate with technical support from a team of local expert architects, viability consultants and surveyors. The Plan called for a strategy of deep retrofit to all existing homes, alongside additional infill construction.
The West Kensington & Gibbs Green People’s Plan
The West Kensington & Gibbs Green People’s Plan (2016) was produced by residents of the estate with support from Architects for Social Housing (ASH), alongside quantity surveyors and valuers. Funding was provided by The Nationwide Foundation and The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.
Campaign groups
There are also a multitude of other housing campaigns that have no permanent base but organise around a theme. Some are organised around a specific housing condition they aim to improve or eradicate, such as damp and mould or dangerous cladding. The campaigns shown here fight for social housing justice; implore the need to utilise empty homes; promote the link between housing and climate; as well as supporting resident-led campaigns through sharing knowledge and resources.
SHAC
SHAC is a network and campaign group linking housing association tenants, residents, housing activists, and housing workers. Together they campaign to improve the lives of those who live in housing association properties and to reduce the commercialisation of the sector.
Housing Rebellion
Housing Rebellion is an ongoing decentralised campaign, focusing on the links between the housing and climate crises. They use non-violent direct action tactics that aim to amplify resident-led campaigns, and put pressure on policy makers to centre people and planet in their proposals.
The Action on Empty Homes
The Action on Empty Homes group calls for the utilisation of empty homes to provide housing for those in need. They aim to raise awareness of the huge number of homes currently laying empty and unused, and highlight the injustice of this when there are so many people who are homeless.
End Our Cladding Scandal
End Our Cladding Scandal is a collaborative campaign spearheaded by multiple resident groups and news publications. It calls on the Government to fix the cladding and building safety crisis, through lobbying MPs and organising protests, whilst providing relevant assistance and information to residents.