Lewisham Council has begun work on a new strategy to help community groups and housing co-operatives deliver more affordable homes across the borough.
On 7 October, Mayor and Cabinet noted the development of the Community-Led Housing and Registered Providers Housing Delivery Strategy, formally starting the process. It will be shaped by a new forum bringing together housing organisations and council officers to share expertise.
The strategy will create a formal partnership framework, help identify suitable sites, including council-owned land, and improve access to funding and development support. It will also back models such as community land trusts and co-operatives.
Cllr Daniel Dream, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration, Planning and Housing Delivery, said the council was ‘not waiting for permission to be ambitious’.
He continued: ‘Lewisham is facing a housing crisis, and the current system is not delivering the affordable homes people need, so we need to do things differently. Building on Lewisham's past as a leader in community-led housing, this work will bring together the borough's experience and learning into a clearer, more strategic approach.’
The forum will convene next week, and pilot projects will test new ideas.
