Organisations take different approaches to regeneration.
As part of our London Spotlight programme, Locality brought together a group of members and friends for a roundtable conversation on regeneration. We aimed to share learning amongst our network, in addition to top tips and further actions we might take. Participants came from a variety of backgrounds—community hubs just starting out in building relationships with developers, an organisation seeking collaboration on a queer cultural community centre, and infrastructure organisations looking to support others in the sector in finding new space.
Three experienced practitioners were on hand to share their stories:
- Sandra Ferguson, of Tree Shepherd noted that her organisation takes a 'meanwhile' approach and agree use of vacant premises whilst regeneration is underway to grow businesses. Tree Shepherd work in different areas as new 'regens' emerge.
- Helen Fernandez, of West Silvertown Foundation (WSF), says WSF are rooted in the Royal Docks area. Their location means they have had to work and grow with regen schemes. WSF have managed to secure around one-third of their revenue from a service charge. "Ten years ago, there were 1,000 homes here", Helen notes, "In 20 years' time, there will be 20,000... Working with developers for us hasn't really been a choice," but a necessity.
- Simon Donovan's London Development Trust are developing a consultancy and community stewardship offer to developers, including overseeing a rapidly growing portfolio of community hubs across London.
These approaches come with their own pros and cons.

Tree Shepherd have developed positive initiatives alongside several South London regen schemes, most recently with British Land as part of the Canada Water regeneration. As Sandra tells, "Five years ago, there was an empty restaurant stuck in the middle of a car park. There was a lot of crime and antisocial behaviour happening around it. We approached them and said, 'could we have the building?' And they said 'yes'. By and large, it has worked really well—what we have been able to do over the last few years is set up an affordable business hub for start-ups in Canada Water with people from within the immediate area."
It's a two-way street.
The developer has helped with marketing and communications, and with facilitating networking amongst the voluntary sector. They also sourced a coach for Sandra: "They approached me to ask whether I needed support, and they helped me to get hold of a coach, which, you know, nobody's ever asked me before... I was really impressed by that."
But it's a two-way street. Just as Tree Shepherd's outcomes helped the developer meet community infrastructure requirements, community-led developments can be helpful to regeneration in other ways, even in developing a sales pipeline, as demonstrated in West Silvertown: "There were very few amenities in our area. There was no daycare nursery, which meant that the school places weren't filling up. So we worked with a local family to set up a daycare nursery, which fed into the primary school having enough places to be filled (which we needed to start a secondary school). What we've tried to do is say, 'Look, here's what we have done. And here's the difference we can make."
Developments are often seen in silos—thinking about a particular development but not another that may be 100 metres away with its own needs. WSF are setting up a social infrastructure forum. It will provide a space for local schools, developers, the GLA and the borough to meet around a table and discuss, "Well, how many school places are you building?"
Relationships with people drive forward the work.
All panellists agreed that dealing with people whose main driver is profitability can be difficult. As Simon put it, "We are interested in helping people; that's our motivation and those are our drivers. It's a different world that you're dealing with... When they're building stuff, even if it's a park or something, [their focus] is probably going to be on their brochures, rather than on how the park functions, and that can be frustrating for people who are interested in what we are."
Practical constraints matter and should be considered.
At our discussion, one attendee emphasised the importance of being realistic in suggesting ways for community organisations to work with developers: "The last thing we want to do is saddle an emerging group with a really expensive lease, or with anything that's way over their heads." They wondered if training is available to build up capacity and scale these initiatives.

In considering this and other questions, Simon had a few practical tips for working with developers.
Simon's top tips for working with developers
If you go in cold or someone has an initial inquiry, you want to be able to summarise what you do in one page.
Draw up a document outlining the community you would serve through the regen scheme and what would make it a thriving space.
Expect developers to come in and drill you down to the last pence. Be prepared when they do.
You need to be able to measure against a long-term plan.
Seek proper legal advice, and remember who you contract with may differ from your contact on the ground.
Don't use community / voluntary sector jargon.
Tell your story in the right places and highlight any awards you have won. They make a difference!
We also asked our panel what they'd do differently on the next collaborative project. Their responses provided a good steer for anyone in the sector looking to secure space for communities:
- Helen: "Get in there early."
- Sandra: "Hold on to what you want to achieve, the clients, and the people you are trying to support. Don't get carried away with the vastness of it."
- Simon: "Avoid being indignant. If you're contracted, you're not an activist. You have to bite your tongue a bit sometimes and be seen to enhance their development."
What does it all mean?
So, what can we do as a network to help secure the best deal for communities? WSF's Social Infrastructure Forum is a promising development. Participants also asked for additional training so that community organisations can build capacity to take on regeneration-related spaces. Part of this training may also involve benchmarking or 'proof of concept' work so developers see the benefit of community space. And in the same way that many sites now proudly boast "We are considerate constructors," perhaps it's time to start recognising good work with voluntary organisations through a new sign: "We make space for communities".