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Tag: Walter Segal

  • HPH364: The power of community led housing – with Kareem Dayes from RUSS

    HPH364: The power of community led housing – with Kareem Dayes from RUSS

    Kareem Dayes, co-founder of RUSS in Lewisham, explains why setting up a Community Land Trust was a route to deliver genuinely affordable housing and create a better neighbourhood.

    Interview with Kareem Dayes

    Kareem Dayes is a one of the founders of the Rural Urban Synthesis Society (RUSS) a members-led Community Land Trust based in South London. Kareem grew up at Walters Way in Lewisham, an innovative self-build housing project developed by Lewisham Council and led by architect Walter Segal in the 1980s.

    It was only upon making his own way in life that he realised how special Walters Way was and after living in a housing co-operative he explored the Community Land Trust approach and wondered if a project could create a modern version of Walters Way to meet the challenges people were still facing for affordable housing.

    RUSS was founded in 2009 with their 36 new homes completed in 2024. Kareem takes us through the process, their community led approach and the highs and lows along the way.

    A Community Land Trust manages community assets for the benefit of local people

    A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a charitable organisation set up to steward communal assets for the benefit of the community. It could be a piece of land, a shop, a pub or any community asset managed to create wider community value.

    In the context of housing, a piece of land may be gifted or bought, for the creation of affordable houses. The Community Land Trust is the steward of that land and develops it on a non-profit basis to achieve houses for local people at an affordable level. Kareem points out that what makes a Community Land Trust different to a co-operative is that it’s about affordability in perpetuity. There’s a mechanism in place that means the houses don’t go onto the private market, so the people who come in after the first-time buyers still benefit from the original principles.

    At RUSS, if you have bought a property, when you sell it you get your money back plus inflation. So no-one is going to profit from any uplift in the market from when they moved in, but they moved in at a price way under the market value for similar houses at that time.

    By doing this you are treating housing as a need, an essential part of life, not a commodity that will be an investment. RUSS demonstrates that you can provide affordable housing today and long into the future.

    Growing the membership was the starting point

    When RUSS was set up in 2009 it was a blue-sky idea, between Kareem’s family and friends. Several of them were musicians so they raised money for RUSS through music gigs and promoted the idea of self-build, sustainable, affordable housing to local people through events and workshops. Kareem explains that the CLT model allows you to issue non-profit shares, which have a ‘one vote per member’ principle. This allowed RUSS to build up their membership to a few hundred people in the early days. It also gave them around £20,000 in the bank as a starting budget.

    The next step came when architect Jon Broome got in touch regarding a vacant piece of land that was owned by the council. Jon lived locally and had been instrumental in the development of Walters Way so had the experience and expertise to help RUSS take their ideas forward.

    Don’t underestimate how long this process could take

    Kareem describes the timeline and process involved in achieving their dream for affordable and sustainable housing. RUSS first approached Lewisham Council about the site in 2012. At that point it had been vacant for 10 years, earmarked for a travellers’ site, but restricted access made that unviable.  

    The only access road to RUSS

    RUSS received a grant from the Community Land Trust Network to carry out a viability study for the site. With Jon’s input, they put together a proposal for 33 homes, for a mixed community, including social rents, affordable rents, shared ownership and shared equity. Community workshops allowed them to gather ideas, and Kareem explains that they were good at turning those into something coherent and organised. Every time RUSS met the Council, they were a bit further along. Eventually they received a grant of £187,000 from the GLA for the community Right to Build, and at that point, Kareem thinks Lewisham Council started taking them seriously. RUSS were bringing grant money to the table that the Council couldn’t access themselves, which helped to create a good collaborative partnership.

    Kareem explains how they still had to go through a long and costly process to become the preferred bidder for the site. This took until 2015, with planning permission then achieved in 2017. They also had to raise the money to build the properties, which became a mix of social investors, grant money, loans and advances. Triodos bank became the main lender, with CAF Venturesome, Big Issue Invest and the Tudor Trust just some of the organisations that have supported the development.

    Architype carried out the initial design work

    A co-design process and compromises were needed along the way

    Kareem outlines how they did co-design sessions with residents and the architects Architype to create the Passivhaus development proposal that was submitted for planning permission. Even though Architype had been working with a quantity surveyor to check costs, when RUSS went out to the market for that design it came in way over budget. The timber frame was just too expensive and Kareem explains that there also started to be concerns over anything flammable being used as a cladding. They came to a fork in the road, and the decision was made to part ways with Architype and appoint SEH. They then went through a whole exercise to get the costs down, with some big changes, the main one being from timber to concrete construction.  

    “Ultimately the choice comes down to, do you want to hold on to your perfect ideals and not do it, or are you willing to compromise and do it?”

    At that point, so much had been committed in terms of time, energy, resource, money, that it didn’t feel like it was much of a choice. You compromise, because you’re not willing to say we’ve wasted X number of years and hundreds of £1000s. Kareem also feels that there is a value in this building, which is beyond the materiality and is going to have a big impact on people in the long term.

    SEH took over the project

    The communal aspect was a key feature from the start

    RUSS were clear from the beginning that they wanted to have a community hub where people could come together and communal, open gardens for everyone to share. The communal walkways came about as a way of creating more outdoor space, with people putting plants outside their doors or tables and chairs to sit for coffee. The idea is for the development to feel like a floating garden with plants everywhere. All this creates opportunities for casual interactions with your neighbours and provides a safe space for children to play. The planners asked RUSS to maintain a view through the site, which has become a focal point with a Silver Birch tree in the middle. The bike and bin storage are made of timber with green roofs. Kareem explains that when they had to switch from wood, they had the cladding designed to look like a natural wood material and a combination of six different colours for the facade on each home. People chose the colour for their house and often use the colours as a reference point for their house rather than a number, which is similar to Walters Way.

    Photo by Ella Stoneham-Bull

    Floor plan of a unit

    There was a lot of personal choice during the build process

    Of the 36 homes built, only five people elected to do the full self-build, with everyone else able to choose certain features and the level of self-finishing. There was a good amount of flexibility for everyone, for example, people were able to choose their kitchens and flooring, with some electing to fit their own kitchens, so each home does look different inside. There was a lot of conversation around how much could be self-build and it ended up with the main contractor building the shells for each property. When the self-builders got on site, the shell was watertight and fireproof, the windows were in, all the external walls were done, and the services had come to one point. They took over from there, putting in the internal walls, all the wiring, the plumbing, the ceilings and everything else. This allowed for flexibility on layout, decisions on false ceilings and MVHR, more choice in terms of the fixings, the lighting, etc. Kareem points out that having done all of that, he knows where everything is and if he wants to make changes he’ll know what he’s working with.

    “I would say I was a good labourer, who’s happy using power tools, I think that would be my category.”

    Amalia Syeda-Aguirre on site

    Photo by Ella Stoneham-Bull

    The supply and extract vents for an MVHR unit

    Kareem relates that building work finally started on site at the end of 2019, 10 years after RUSS was conceived. The self-builders got on site around January 2023 with an initial target for completion by May 2023. This was a very stressful time, with delay after delay and pressure from RUSS for the completion date to be met. The self-build elements were finally completed in May 2024.

    The process did take a personal toll but was ultimately rewarding

    Kareem explains that after many years it got to a point where he had to step back, because the pressure was too much. The structure of RUSS made this possible as he was never doing it on his own. His life completely changed within the 15 years of the project, from being a single man looking to rent a property to a husband and father of two, undertaking a four bed self-build. Kareem says he learnt so much along the way, communicating with people, learning every stage of the development process. Ultimately, he has gained a career working in community engagement within the built environment.

    RUSS was always about more than just housing

    Kareem explains that RUSS was always bigger than just housing, with big picture ideas around community, climate change, equality and where we’re going as a society. His biggest takeaway from RUSS is demonstrating that we can work collaboratively to build alternative systems and use different ways to create value that is shared fairly.

    Kareem believes there is a different way of building housing, living together, sharing resources and providing safe places for our kids to grow up healthy and happy. We will need to redesign lots of our institutions and our systems to reflect this, because at the minute, we’re inheriting systems which are ultimately designed to extract value for a few and keep that value amongst a few. Kareem feels if we approach the problems we’re facing with an open mind, ready to work collaboratively, we’ll find that a lot of people want to be involved.

    “Ultimately, we’re living in a world that we’ve inherited, which was built by people who are long gone, but what are we going to leave behind for the people come after us?”

    Find out more

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  • HPH278 : A beginner’s guide to self build – with Geoff Stow

    HPH278 : A beginner’s guide to self build – with Geoff Stow

    Having worked on his own hands-on group self build project, and site managed others, Geoff Stow shares his experience on where to start when it comes to self build.

    Interview with Geoff Stow

    Geoff’s involvement with self build started years ago when he worked with a community arts project in south London, making a video with a group of self builders who were promoting their scheme in Lewisham. So when Lewisham decided to do another scheme he put his name down, chairing and being part of a group of 13 that built their own houses on a Walter Segal project. From there, his involvement continued with working as a site manager for other group self build schemes, including the Hedgehog project in Brighton.

    “My background isn’t as a builder really but I think in some ways that’s quite interesting because it’s actually coming at it as a novice. I’m sympathetic with people who are trying to get a scheme off the ground.”

    Geoff also runs courses on timber frame self build, and self build project management at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales.

    Hope Wharf
    Hope Wharf

    It’s likely to be harder than you’re expecting!

    Geoff says he’s never met anyone who said they wished they hadn’t done it, but does stress that you should be prepared for a lot of hard work. He thinks there is actually very little in place to make things easier, with the majority of things at the beginning like planning and finding out how to connect services, being geared up to failing.

    Whereas most people spend their time at the beginning sketching designs for a plot they don’t yet have, he recommends instead taking that time to research and understand the issues involved. That could be around planning, environmental issues, insulation, ventilation etc.

    Take the opportunity to go to the exhibitions to grow your understanding and help you talk the same language as the experts, but bear in mind that a lot of it is sales focused.

    Understand the issues around claiming back the VAT, and get yourself organised with a good accounting system so you can keep track of staying within budget.

    Build your knowledge by checking out some of the self-build books around, like Mark Brinkley’s Homebuilder’s Bible. They’re worth reading for finding out about things like health and safety requirements, working out how you’re going to organise your project, whether you might be able to site manage it yourself, and understanding what the relevant issues around that might be.

    Use your suppliers by asking for detailed information, and if they can’t provide it then don’t use them. Geoff gives the example of a window supplier, where you should be providing wall designs and asking what’s the best way of fitting them.

    Have a sensible budget

    Keep in mind that things rarely come in under budget or ahead of schedule, so have a sensible budget that is based on real costings, not just how much you’d like to spend or how much other people have spent. Be wary of the figures that people quote when they say their house cost X amount per square metre, as you never quite know what has been included and what has been omitted.

    Budget high for all of the initial stages. Things like the foundations, services and access roads can have plenty of unknowns and it’s much easier to price up more accurately for the above ground works. Add on a good contingency once you get quotes in as this should free up money later on.

    In addition to budgeting for the overall cost of the build, if you’re using a self build mortgage you will need to consider your cash flow. They work by releasing money once a stage is finished, so although you might have enough money in total, you might find the project grinding to a halt if you do not have it available at the right times.

    Finding land will probably mean making compromises

    Geoff’s key piece of advice for finding land is to be flexible, as there’s not that much of it around. He thinks it best to spend time in the area where you’re looking as quite often word of mouth can be helpful.

    Take the time to understand your site

    Geoff estimates that, depending on your skill base and level of organisation, around a year is a good length of time to spend on your research. As part of this he recommends spending time on your site and understanding how to place the house so you can get the best out of it. This will include things like orientation, window placement and learning how the sun falls on the site at different times. During this period you can also be going to exhibitions and talks, doing courses, going on Passivhaus open days and speaking to other people that have built their own homes.

    Focus on getting the fabric of the building right

    Geoff says you’re never likely to hear someone say that they wish they’d put in cheaper windows or used less insulation! So concentrate on getting the insulation, windows, detailing of doors, heating systems etc right, and getting it to the best quality that you can afford. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the perfect house straight away, and you can always retrofit your dream kitchen or build a second stage later when finances allow.

    Speak to other people for advice

    Get as much information as you can from suppliers and manufacturers about their products and their detailing. Also speak to builders’ merchants who might be able to suggest alternative products that you might not have come across.

    Geoff follows a couple of Facebook groups which he says, if you filter through a lot of the rubbish and sales pitches, can actually have really good information and experience that people are willing to share.

    “There’s no right way of doing it…what there are is a lot of wrong ways!”

    Geoff stresses that there is no right build system to use, and the method that you choose will be based on a lot of criteria. Whatever method you do choose, just make sure that it’s of the highest quality you can afford.

    A lot of it will be down to personal preference, and whether you like timber, stone, brick etc.

    Geoff’s preference is for timber frame, partly for the accuracy and speed which it affords. He personally would also avoid very innovative systems by very small companies as there can be a question of whether or not they can actually deliver.

    Also consider what kind of products you want to be using. Some people might want high performance foam insulation, whereas others will want to go as natural as possible and use sheep’s wool or Warmcel type insulation.

    “Whatever building method you go with, you just need to really understand what the issues and the criteria are. The good points and the bad points. And ignore what people say about their method being the best, it’s modern or it’s developed by NASA or something ridiculous. Just understand what the issues are with all of them and base it on real costs.”

    Decide how much involvement you’re going to have

    As a client there are options as to how involved you will be on the project, ranging from paying huge sums of money to a building company who will do everything for you, to getting hands-on and doing practically everything yourself.

    Probably the biggest deciding factor is thinking about what skills you have, but not necessarily assuming that because you can do something yourself it will necessarily be quicker or cheaper.

    “So, if a job that a skilled person can do quickly and well and you can do fairly well and take a long time over, that might mean that it’s longer before you move in and you’ve got more mortgage repayments, more insurance, if you’re renting a house then there’s the rent that you’re paying while you’re doing it. So, you might think you’re saving some money but actually, are you really?”

    You might also find that by doing a job yourself and taking longer about it, you might be holding up the next trade that can’t come in and do their job until you’ve finished. Instead there might be jobs that you can do which won’t involve holding anyone else up, like prepping and putting up cladding for example.

    When it comes to managing the project, you have the choice of paying someone else to do it, or doing it yourself. Obviously doing it yourself in theory should save you money, if done well, but consider whether you have the expertise to: keep things on track and on budget, get prices and employ subcontractors, nudge people when needed, make sure the work is being done to a high standard, check health and safety standards are being adhered to, keep neighbours on side etc.

    Do it on the terms of what you can afford, what skills you have and what you want your level of involvement to be.

    Being too fixated can be a common pitfall

    Geoff sees people that might become completely fixated on building a straw house for example, when actually the site they have might not actually be ideally suited.

    “It’s just understanding the issues around those sorts of things and not necessarily getting very fixated on one thing where you end up making your build really complicated because you’ve got this one fixed idea that you saw somewhere on television that you want.”

    He also says that no matter what you do there will be people saying that you shouldn’t have done it that way. And maybe even you yourself will look back and think you might have done it differently, but just try to get as much right as you can based on the knowledge and research at the time.

    People always say they want to be in by Christmas!

    Geoff suggests when it comes to how long a project will take, that if you’re planning to do a lot of the work yourself then try and avoid it going over two winters, as the second is always particularly tough (especially so if you’re living in a caravan!) Realistically you could be looking at 12 to 18 months on site, but less than that if you have builders.

    He also recommends trying to get as much finished as possible before moving in, even if that means throwing money at some good contractors to speed things up. Finishing off works once you’re living there is much harder to do and becomes less likely to ever get done.

    To help keep on track with the budget and schedule, try not to make changes as you go along. You can make minor changes but you don’t want to be deciding to change window placement or move walls once work is on site.

    Work with an architect who is on your wavelength

    Keep a scrapbook of ideas and images that you like and can show to a designer or architect, and make sure you work with someone who is going to design the sort of thing you want.

    Although it’s not necessary to employ an architect, having a good one on board that is sympathetic to your ideas can elevate your plans and give you a wow factor, rather than simply being a series of rooms joined by a corridor.

    Having an architect involved could just be paying someone for a simple check over your plans and offering advice, to a full package of designing the house, getting it through planning and building control, and seeing the whole project through to completion and sign-off at the end.

    A key consideration in choosing who to work with is finding someone who is on your wavelength that you feel you can work with. Ask for proof that they really understand the issues that matter to you, as some might claim to be providing a sustainable and energy efficient building just because it complies with current building regulations.

    Participants on a timber frame course

    Find out more

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  • HPH107 : What Does it Take to Create Sustainable Neighbourhoods? – with Jon Broome

    HPH107 : What Does it Take to Create Sustainable Neighbourhoods? – with Jon Broome

    Jon Broome of Jon Broome Architects explains his work with community self-build groups, and the development of a sustainable neighbourhood he is currently involved with in Lewisham.

    JB

     

    Interview with Jon Broome

    Jon first got involved in self-build projects back in the 1970s with Water Segal, the pioneering designer of lightweight timber construction for self-building. Since then he has continued working with groups in South London and elsewhere building housing co-ops, and is currently involved in a project with a Community Land Trust development in Lewisham.

     

    The Influence of Walter Segal Has Yet to be Fully Realised

    Jon estimates there have been up to 300 houses in the UK which have been inspired by Walter Segal’s principles of simple and economical building.

    “And that opened up a whole range of possibilities which I think are yet to be realised fully actually.”

    Walter's Way, Lewisham - the first group self build project to use the Segal method of construction
    Walter’s Way, Lewisham – the first group self build project to use the Segal method of construction

    Since the 90s however, interest has waned with what Jon sees as people’s preoccupation with building trends changing, such as pre-fabricated housing or custom building.

     

    In the UK we Struggle to Create Neighbourhoods

    Jon is concerned that buildings should perform well, be low energy, sustainable, comfortable, light and airy and well ventilated. These are all things which he says we can do, however in the UK what we are less able to do well is create neighbourhoods which are convivial and support comfortable social living arrangements.

    Currently the private sector deliver what a lot of people want and can afford, and the public sector deliver a limited number of affordable homes. Jon says there is a big area in between which doesn’t necessarily satisfy what people want. They tend to be of a price they can’t afford, not very well built, small, not energy efficient and generally not desirable. The idea of sustainable neighbourhoods is that it brings good building together with residents who can have control over the major decisions affecting how much they cost, and how they’re designed and built.

    “It’s to do with low energy building. It’s to do with sustainable development. It’s to do with, I don’t know, just living in a convivial way in a city which normal housing arrangements don’t encourage I don’t think.”

     

    A Community Land Trust Might be an Option to Consider

    Jon is involved with the RUSS Community Land Trust development in Lewisham. They have recently acquired a site from the local authority in Lewisham and will be making a number of different options available, including affordable rental accommodation, and shared ownership and shared equity dwellings with buy in between 25% and 80% ownership. The Community Land Trust retains some of the equity to ensure that the development remains affordable and that dwellings don’t migrate into the private sector where escalating prices would inevitably follow.

    They are encouraging a high degree of self-build because of the benefits it can produce, including significantly reduced costs together with a huge amount of self-confidence and sense of self-achievement from designing and building your own home.

    “I think what matters more than anything else is having a feeling of being in control of their destiny and knowing how the building is and how and why it’s designed in the way it is, how it can be changed, developed, improved. It’s just being in touch with your immediate living surroundings.”

    As architects for the project, Jon Broome Architects have started by working up ideas of what affordable housing means to who and aligning the cost of people’s housing with their income, rather than with the value on the open market. They are ensuring the houses will be cheap to run and concentrating on the sustainability of the development as a whole with bike provision and shared electric cars. They are making sure it is a mixed community of congenial people who want to live in a supportive environment. And while the self-build approach will reduce costs, it will also create opportunities for people to acquire skills and improve their employment prospects.

    They will be taking all of this and translating it into a design brief and make plans for the flats and houses, method of construction (which also needs to be capable of unskilled people on site), contractual arrangements, legal frameworks, financial arrangements, building standards, planning etc.

     

    Satisfaction is Not Prioritised by Developers and Policy Makers

    While there are undoubtedly people out there who don’t want to get involved in a process which can be complicated and time consuming and are happy to buy a standard developer home, there are others which generally aren’t catered for who want the satisfaction and long lasting benefits of quality of construction, design and maintenance. For those people generally the opportunities to design and build for themselves are all too rare.

     

    Self-Provision of Housing on the Continent Remains Strong

    Jon has recently been to Germany and estimates that over half of housing is of this kind. In Berlin he thinks around 10% of new housing in the city is produced by groups of people getting together to design and commission the housing, but not necessarily building it. The process is aided by the city government which holds regular meetings for interested people, and is encouraged by the financial systems which are willing to lend on schemes that they know are being professionally managed and developed.

    Land can be compulsorily purchased by local authorities who then put in the infrastructure and sell it at a profit which gets ploughed back into housing development to groups who then build. There is a fixed price for the land and the successful party is the one that can bring most quality to the development, such as social provision, value for money, quality of dwellings etc.

    Jon feels that important lessons can be learned from this continental approach, in terms of how groups and design processes are organised, about communicating and controlling costs effectively.

     

    What Matters is Getting Developments on the Ground That You Can Experience

    Jon agrees that this way of living won’t be for everybody, but there’s a significant number of people to whom it suits very well. By getting successful developments on the ground that people can look at and demonstrate what the possibilities are in an urban environment, Jon is hopeful that people will see that there’s something in it.

    Jon cites the example of Ashley Vale in Bristol, as being a similar case of people having a vision and determination to improve their housing circumstances.

    While the local authority in Lewisham have been supportive, the process of securing land for the development has been lengthy and costly. The site is also not without its difficulties and while the price for the land is not what it would be on the open market, it recognises the social benefits and what will be involved in terms of energy standards and sustainability.

    We’re keen to follow how this development progresses, so keep an eye out for part 2 at some point in the future!

     

    Find Out More

    Follow Jon Broome Architects on Twitter

    Jon Broome Architects

    Rural Urban Synthesis Society 

     

    Transcript

    Download a transcript of the interview with Jon Broome.

     

    Challenging Times on a Build

    Ben is keen to hear from other self-builders who, for one reason or another, have hit challenging times on their projects. He would like to collate these experiences in a blog for others who might be facing similar issues and to give encouragement to keep persevering with it! Please get in touch if you would like to be involved.

     

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