The timber framed community hub, a key part of the RUSS self build project in Church Grove SE13, is broadly complete, writes Mike Freed.
RUSS is the Community Land Trust behind the innovative 33 home, affordable self-build project and a separate timber-framed Community ‘Hub’ building being developed on the same site.
Both projects gained full planning consent during 2018. The Hub is almost finished and the 33-home project is nearing the final design/procurement and approvals stage, with an indicative early 2020 start on site.
The timber-framed Community ‘Hub’ was constructed with volunteer labour alongside our construction partner, Habitat for Humanity.
The 48m2 space can accommodate up to 30 people and includes a kitchenette, accessible toilet and covered bike storage.
It was created with a significant amount of reclaimed building materials, and was financially supported from crowdfunding, grants and Ladywell Assembly funding, amongst others.
The Hub is now broadly complete, with final snagging, documentation and ‘sign-off’ being in progress.
The single-storey building will provide meeting space for the RUSS ‘School’, where we share our experience of self-and-community building with other interested groups, along with a resource and space for our staff, volunteers and wider community groups.
The ‘Hub’ build was timed to accommodate the subsequent start of the main 33-home residential project.
Additional on-site hoardings will be constructed shortly in order to provide a safe route to the Hub when the residential scheme starts construction.
The 33-home residential development will provide all-affordable homes of various sizes and tenures, providing opportunities for the future residents to potentially self-build various aspects of the development according to their interest, in conjunction with our main contractor.
All details of RUSS can be found at https://www.theruss.org/