We are delighted to announce that Citizens House, London's first purpose-built Community Land Trust homes, has won 'Best Community Engagement Outcomes' at the 2023 London Planning Awards.

The award recognises our innovative approach to community-led design, which began with setting up a temporary architect's office on the former garage site in Lewisham. Through extensive workshops and collaboration with local residents, including more than 30 participants sharing their ideas and 48 pupils from nearby St Bartholomew's Primary School contributing to the design of communal spaces, we developed a scheme that truly reflects local needs and aspirations.

The project's success is evidenced by the extraordinary level of community support, with local residents hand-delivering the planning application to the Mayor of Lewisham alongside 107 letters of support. A dedicated Community Steering Group met monthly throughout the process, ensuring local voices remained central to decision-making.

This recognition from the London Planning Awards validates our belief that meaningful community engagement leads to better architecture. The result is 11 genuinely affordable homes that not only meet housing needs but create a vibrant community space that residents are proud to call home.

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