West Kensington and Gibbs Green Community Homes (WKGGCH) (funding complete)

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The two adjacent housing estates – West Kensington and Gibbs Green – comprise of 760 homes and these are mainly occupied by social housing tenants. The residents of this community came together to form WKGGCH in a fight to protect their homes by seeking to obtain community-ownership.

WKGGCH is taking the case – the first of its kind – to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for a decision in the hope of preserving this well-functioning community, and ultimately creating additional affordable housing. It also plans to preserve and manage the existing affordable rented accommodation for local people and others in need of low-cost housing.

The mechanism WKGGCH is pursing to achieve community ownership is known as the Right to Transfer process, which came into force in December 2013. Funding from the Nationwide Foundation covered some of WKGGCH’s costs, such as architects and quantity surveyor fees, as well as staff to engage with residents, all of which were necessary to prepare its case for the Secretary of State to consider.

If WKGGCH is successful, this would pave the way for council estate communities across England and Wales to take charge of their neighbourhoods through the Right to Transfer using this tried and test community-based ownership model. This would lead to both the preservation and expansion of affordable homes.

In 2017, we provided further funding to WKGGCH, so that it could continue this work.

https://westkengibbsgreen.wordpress.com/

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