Building on success
Eldonian
Housing Co-op worked together from
1982 to 1989 to create the first phase of the Eldonian Village. They
lobbied, argued, persuaded and charmed a Prime Minister, Secretaries of
State, MPs, Bishops, local agencies, housing associations and various other organisations to secure their goal. Having achieved their
first objective, they then created a second phase of the Village,
including ‘build for sale’, a village hall, sports facilities, offices,
elderly accommodation, a nursery, and their own social enterprise that
owns and manages the Village.
Community facilities
included offices and
a nursery
The Eldonian Community Based
Housing Association manages 523 properties and employs 30 staff. The
Eldonian Group (Development Trust) owns and manages the facilities on
site and offers consultancy services. It employs over 50 people.
What is special about this group?
The Eldonian Village is one of the UK’s leading examples of a sustainable community, and is still growing.
An aerial view of
the area, before
redevelopment
The achievement is not just the scale of the physical regeneration, with all the new buildings and environmental re-ordering. What makes it remarkable is that the decisions, the early struggles, and the ongoing development all came from the residents themselves, who still provide the leadership.
An aerial view of
the area, after
redevelopment
The Eldonians' story stands out because of the enormity of the task facing them in the late 1970s, when community- based urban regeneration was relatively unknown.
Topics associated with this project
Change management, Community-led, Housing, Neighbourhood, North West, Process Management