By 1984 many of the offices, hotels and private housing developments along the River Thames had created gaps between the existing communities and the river, the idea of the Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB) was to open up the river for everyone to enjoy
During the 1984 to 1988 period the organisation demolished the remaining derelict buildings and also create the South Bank river walkway (can be seen in above photo), and the competed the layout of a new riverside park, called Bernie Spain Gardens, (can be seen in the above photo) both of which have spectacular views of the Thames and St Paul’s Cathedral. This stretch of river now attracts many tourists as well as being an attraction to those who already live in the area. Coin Street Community Builders invests over £250,000 a year to ensure that the parks and riverside walkway are maintained in excellent condition for residents.
There are many housing co-operatives set up by CSCB it is social housing, available at affordable rents to people in housing need. Priority is given to certain groups such as those working in low-paid jobs in central London or those living in housing co-operatives who need transfers. Mulberry was the first co-operative built at Coin Street. It consisted of 57 homes for mainly families and was completed in 1988. The first tenant members were from households that Lambeth and Southwark Councils put forward from their housing list. This still continues as Mulberry does not accept direct applications or keep and waiting list. Another CSCB project is with Palm which has 27 homes, a mixture of houses and flats, some of which are designed for the disabled and the elderly, this was finished in 1994. In 1995 another project with Redwood, who own 78 two and one bedroom flats, which re house exiting tenants whose families have grown. Finally Iroko was completed in 2001, where there are 59 new flats and maisonette and houses, which are grouped around a secure garden and vary from one to five bedrooms. There are currently 220 affordable homes available in all four of these co-operative schemes.
Recently, together with the South Bank Employer’s Group the CSCB has identified the need to improve pedestrian and public transport and to give the South Bank a more coherent and positive image. This includes the redevelopment of the “spine route” road servicing along the riverside. This was once a notorious traffic rat-run that has been transformed into a wide paved and lit street. Another project supported by both groups includes a new riverside bus servicing linking Convent Garden and the South Bank and the Tower of London. It also has the backing of the Mayor, Ken Livingstone, and Transport for London. The service uses 11 new state of the art buses and a new travel cards system.
The most recent CSCB project is the 99A project, which offers high quality and affordable out of school provision for children, young people and families living in the area. Up to 24 children can be accommodated in the OFSTED registered facility with 1 worker to 8 children. Other community provisions include clubs for 8 to 13 year olds.
CSCB plans the following projects for the future.
A new neighbourhood centre designed by Haworth Tompkins Architects for a derelict site between Stamford Street SE1 and the gardens of Iroko Housing Co-operative will include:
- a family and children's centre including:
- a 60-place neighbourhood nursery
- a 10-place crèche facility for those undertaking training or otherwise using the centre
- out of school, parent/family and youth activities
- a learning and enterprise support centre including:
- training, conference and meeting facilities
- signposting, information, advice and support services for individuals and businesses
- in-house workshops and training courses to meet local need and fill gaps in the market, including support for accessing local job opportunities
- outreach work with local residential and business communities
- support for new businesses, particularly social enterprises
- a community cafe and space for social events and meetings
- offices for staff working for Coin Street Centre Trust, Coin Street Community Builders and Coram Family
- a retail/restaurant unit, rented on a commercial basis
CSCB is also currently planning a major mixed development including subsidised, cost-rent and market housing; a public swimming pool and indoor sports centre; and shops, dance studios and other uses on a site adjacent to the National Theatre.
Coin Streets Survival
Development of the Coin Street site has been done over a number of years, and temporary use of land awaiting development has been a vital source of income for the group. Gabriel's Wharf has become highly popular with local workers, residents and visitors. The units are old garages with shop-fronts added but they make excellent retail design studios. Restaurants and cafes, offer local employees a chance to escape from their offices. The blank wall of the London Studios was painted to provide an imaginative backdrop, while all the time paying rent to the CSCB. The 1988 opening of Gabriel’s Wharf has brought not only public life to a once derelict area but also commercial profit. The Art Museums, curated by Clare Patey and Pippa Bailey have brought tourism to the area and also international attention to Coin Street. Public off-street car parking has also been an essential source of temporary income as well as an efficient way of meeting the needs of commercial tenants and visitors without providing dedicated car park spaces.
In Conclusion
Coin Street has been a very successful development help the community, by creating not only secure green areas for children to play in, but attract tourism by art museums and attractive River Thames walkways. It has also been successful in creating affordable housing for the local residents, the disabled and the elderly, who may find it difficult to find a suitable house. It will survive into the future by the many schemes it has introduced to make money on its unused land. Car parking, museums and shops have all been set up to bring in money to pay for the developments. This is not all though, the CSCB vows to continue into the future improving the area more.