Nine projects to bring new life to Camden neighbourhoods
Camden Council and charity Footwork are partnering to support nine projects led by residents and community groups that will transform areas on Camden estates and neighbourhoods.
‘People and Place: Camden’ is a 12-month programme aimed at encouraging and helping residents and community organisations with big ideas and the desire to make long-term change in their communities bring their projects to life.
Project leaders will receive tailored support, including expert mentorship, peer-learning opportunities, workshops, a £5,000 grant and the chance to connect with community leaders across England.
The programme is a key part of Camden’s Estates and Neighbourhoods Mission which has the goal that by 2030, Camden’s estates and their neighbourhoods will be healthy, sustainable and unlock creativity.
Nine project ideas led by residents and small community groups have been selected following an open call for expressions of interest. These are:
- Retrofit Reimagined on New Hilgrove Estate: Become the resident operators of a new community hub on Hilgrove Estate, transforming former council-owned garages into an active, welcoming community space. Hoping to create a mix of free community facilities and affordable workspaces that support youth activities, food initiatives, creative projects and social gatherings.
- Citizen’s Assembly on a Greener Neighbourhood: Convene a Citizen’s Assembly to put residents at the heart of environmental decision-making in Swiss Cottage and South Hampstead.
- Bloom Along the Railway and Belong: Open up access to an unused strip of green land along a railway to create a space of connection and safety. Idea is to rewild the area, improve the local environment and create opportunities for growing food and herbs.
- Rewild the Ends: Increase levels of greening and nature connection in Kentish Town. Key sites will be College Gardens, Castlehaven, Clarence Way and Peckwater Estate. Exploring ways to rewild everyday spaces through growing food, regenerative crafts, citizen science and habitat creation.
- Football for All in Camden: Explore how football facilities can become accessible, community-led spaces that serve Camden residents, starting with the Market Road pitches. Idea is to work towards a permanent home for Camden football while also improving everyday access to quality pitches and multi-use games areas.
- Falcon Laundry Rooms: Pilot a resident-led, self-funding model to bring six unused laundry rooms in the Falcon Building back into community use. Starting with one space, exploring flexible uses such as drying rooms, repair and storage spaces, small studios or meeting rooms.
- Bucklebury and Beyond: Explore how to unlock space for creativity and growing on Regent’s Park Estate. Creating a resident-designed community garden on the Bucklebury ‘podium’, securing the future of the Neighbourhood Makeshop, and piloting new ways for residents to decide together on regeneration.
- Loos for Kilburn: Create a permanent network of open and accessible toilets facilities for Kilburn High Road and Grange Park.
- 107 Kingsgate Community Centre: Bring new life to the derelict 107 Kingsgate Community Centre as a welcoming, resident-led space that supports local activities, connection and shared use. By coordinating groups, programming and partnerships.
This is all about giving power to people who have deep roots in our communities and have the vision, tenacity and desire to make changes in their neighbourhoods or on their local estates. The projects will help bring communities together – some are practical renovations and schemes to provide laundry rooms and toilets, while some will get residents out in the open air, working with nature or playing football. Crucially, they all share a common link of ‘by the community, for the community’ - they will leave a clear legacy our residents will be proud of and be shining examples that show our Estates and Neighbourhoods Mission in action.
Danie Gilbert, Footwork trustee and Good Shepherd Studios co-founder, said:
“We’re excited to collaborate with Camden Council and these brilliant community innovators, and to bring insights from three years of Footwork’s national People and Place programme.
"Around the country, there are so many people ready to drive change in their neighbourhoods, but they often lack the support, power and partnerships to make that change. People and Place: Camden backs local people across Camden whose experiences of a local challenge have inspired them to take action, and who are working to transform local land and buildings for long-term community benefit. Each innovator cares deeply about their community and their place, and together they are addressing a range of issues – from access to green space and community facilities, to environmental pressures, health, social inequality and the need for places to meet, rest, create and belong. Together they’ll strengthen their ideas, develop their projects and confidence, and build the skills and connections needed for lasting change.”
Katie Gosling from project ‘Bloom Along the Railway and Belong’ said:
"My experience as a parent revealed how much this overlooked space affects families’ wellbeing. Our idea is to rewild the area, improve the local environment and create opportunities for growing food and herbs. This would be an exciting legacy for the next generation, like the other projects in this programme.”
The residents and community groups will now spend the next few months shaping their ideas, testing things out and learning from each other, supported by mentors, workshops, and a wider network of community leaders.
As part of the Mayor of London's work to support more mission-driven property management across the city's high streets, People and Place: Camden has received £30,000 from the Mayor of London and UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
ENDS
About Footwork
Footwork (UK charity Footwork Trust) supports local people to transform their neighbourhoods for the better and builds alliances to make this possible.
Since 2022, Footwork’s ‘People and Place’ programme has supported over 50 community innovators to turn their bold ideas into lasting positive change, in response to a local social or environmental challenge. Often reviving land and buildings for community use, they are part of a growing force for fairer, locally-led regeneration, making the places they call home more resilient and equitable.
Through national and local events, Footwork creates spaces for peer support and shared learning, showcases inspiring examples, and convenes built environment practitioners to enable true collaboration with community partners.
Footwork works closely with Platform Places Ltd (its 'civic partner' organisation) to facilitate locally-led neighbourhood transformation – so people have the power to shape the future of their places and to live affordably, sustainably and together. They co-facilitate the Mycelial Network for Community Asset Developers.