Our Sustainable Future case study: Stroudley Walk

A new story for Stroudley Walk, with the community at its heart

The regeneration of Stroudley Walk is truly transformative. In the heart of East London – Bromley-by-Bow in Tower Hamlets – it sits adjacent to some of London’s most deprived communities.

Working in partnership with housing association Poplar HARCA we are delivering 274 homes, including 115 affordable homes. 82 of the homes will be available at London affordable rent – including all the three- and four-bedroom family homes – with a further 33 for shared ownership. It means those local families who need it most, will benefit.

Our approach is also focussed on creating a safe and thriving neighbourhood. A new pocket park and part-pedestrianised street, with three new shops and a community café, will make for a vibrant and attractive neighbourhood.

Regeneration which is genuinely sustainable requires us to meaningfully engage. We need to respond to local needs and deliver something which benefits all communities. As we shaped our vision, we spoke to over 500 people representing the depth and breadth of the local area.

We held consultation events within the community and took our proposals to Old Palace Primary School in Bow to speak to local children about the future of their place. We engaged online. We met people in the street. We talked to their elected representatives.

We learnt that people felt unsafe. There was a fear of crime, but by bringing more people into the area residents felt things could improve. Overwhelmingly, the community wanted to see regeneration happen.

As the local housing association, our partners at Poplar HARCA are embedded within the community. We benefitted from strong and tight-knit relationships with local businesses, community groups, and residents.

We spoke to them about what they needed and wanted from regeneration, how we could support their businesses, their family, and their community. New public spaces, greenery, community facilities, lighting and visibility, and affordable housing were all critically important.

We listened and we are delivering. Quality affordable homes will complement flexible retail opportunities, as well as the community cafe. Vibrant new public realm – including the pocket park and partly pedestrianised street – will include 33 new trees. They will link people to nature, contribute to improvements in air quality, and help keep streets cooler in the summer months. It’s a new future for Stroudley Walk, shaped by the community.

The suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst made her first speech at Stroudley Walk in 1913 as part of a campaign to improve the conditions of women living in the East End. Mahatma Gandhi also stayed at the nearby Kingsley Hall for 12 weeks, as he visited England in 1931 to discuss constitutional reform.

The place has a unique story which tells of progress, change, and cultural influence. In many ways that story had become clouded in recent decades. By working together with the community, we’ve built a new vision. For example, we’ve worked with local charity Bow Arts and local artist, Will Redgrove, to deliver a workshop for a local school on empowerment.

We’ve taken the ideas and incorporated them into a commissioned artwork which now defines Botolph Passage – the entrance to St Agnes Catholic Primary School. It celebrates the rich heritage of Bow and puts a community stamp firmly on Stroudley Walk’s public space. Something for the children to be proud of as they grow up.

With a rich melting pot of cultures, Stroudley Walk has always evolved. We took the time to engage and understand, so that we can be a positive part of that evolution.

Social Value Data

The project team at McAleer & Rushe engaged with 200 students through a variety of activities, examples included:

– Teaching students about the safety required on a construction site, names of plant and machinery and the different functions they provide

– Hosted highways and construction work experience week for seven A-Level students supporting them to have hands on learning experiences. This will posit- ively impact their career readiness and practical skill development

– Project teams volunteered at several careers networking sessions, providing valuable career guidance. Positively im- pacted students’ understanding of future career options and employability skills

– Initiatives also focused on promoting health and wellbeing examples include the donation of Boxing kits to a local club to support the physical fitness and mental wellbeing of youth and volunteering at the Christmas Health Fair

– Botolph passage way community mural