LOWE are delighted to have partnered with Riverside Housing Group in taking on the management of multiple vacant flats across three South London estates; Pike Close (Bromley), Geoffrey Close (Loughborough Junction, Camberwell) and Calverley Close (Beckenham), as part of Riverside’s wider regeneration programme. The programme will see the regeneration of existing London estates to create vibrant communities, quality environments and modern, spacious and sustainable homes for their existing residents.
Tim Lowe, Founder & Director of LOWE Guardians, said that “Partnering with Riverside is a logical choice with our shared passion to provide London’s professionals and keyworkers with high-quality, affordable accommodation in central locations.”
Riverside are one of the leading registered providers of social housing in the UK, offering affordable housing and support to people of all ages and circumstances. The key focus of the London Regeneration Programme is on redeveloping and revitalising neighbourhoods and creating a community which everyone can be proud to call their home.
Tim says “Our clients choose us because of our flexibility and excellent guardian management. We invest a lot in the buildings we take on to make them safe, comfortable and desirable places for our guardians to live. In return our guardians take great care of the properties and create vibrant and diverse communities which contribute to the local area.”
Over time, there has been an increase in empty properties due to residents wishing to transfer off the estate either permanently, or until their new home has been built. Since the partnership formed, LOWE has placed 90 carefully vetted guardians into the estates where the flats would otherwise be vacant. The partnership with Riverside has afforded LOWE the opportunity to support the culture of the community by providing affordable housing to local key workers, young professionals and residents, who were already part of the community and involved in local projects. LOWE also encourages guardians to volunteer and form partnerships with local charities and non-profit organisations.
LOWE recognises the incredibly rich community that has been the beating heart of these estates for decades, and as such, has made a commitment to the tenants to support them by creating affordable living opportunities specifically for ‘Adult Children’ already living on the estate. By providing them with the opportunity to live as a guardian on the estate they currently live on, LOWE can help this next generation take the first step towards independent living whilst remaining a part of the community they love.
One Adult Child, Nadine, a key worker says “as a young professional and someone who grew up living on the estate, I was overjoyed to find out I had an opportunity with LOWE Guardians to stay local to the area. My partner and I seized the chance to have our own adorable little flat, filled to the brim with plants! LOWE have been helpful in all our correspondence, as have their maintenance team.
Establishing a sense of community is an essential part of LOWE guardianship, and a scheme which supports this is the LOWE Ambassador Programme. This initiative gives key workers, entrepreneurs and creatives the space and infrastructure to support their causes and to connect them with resources and the wider LOWE guardian network.
One Ambassador, Elliott, a teacher living in Loughborough Junction, said that “my interest in people and passion for connection made this the perfect opportunity for me to facilitate broader relationships in the LOWE community, and to bring people together and offer a platform for diverse voices.”
Placing guardians in the estates has not only utilised the otherwise vacant flats and created an established sense of community, it has also helped keep the buildings secure, providing a deterrent for anti-social behaviour, squatters and vandals, and giving a level of security to the tenants still living on the estates.
Riverside’s Tenant Engagement Manager, Jo Downs, commented “With the growing number of empty homes on these estates, working with LOWE has provided our tenants with a feeling of safety and comfort whilst living in their homes.
“The safety of our residents and surrounding communities remain a top priority at Riverside. Due to the current climate we have introduced new ways of engaging and communicating with our tenants, through technology, as we continue to move forward with redevelopment plans during Covid.”
If you have a vacant building and you would like to find out how our bespoke service can work for you, contacts us today for a free consultation report with our recommendations on how best to protect your building.