Creating the street the community needs


The Trust makes it possible to create a better street

Having the Trust as the landlord means:

  • The residents and local community can help decide the services and businesses on their street.
  • It’s possible to bring more public & community services to the street at a lower cost.

The Hub: Brings services together

The Hub will be a place residents can pick up deliveries and deal with housing issues. Local people and residents can access employment support, training, health and well-being services, careers support, yoga & exercise classes, Citizens Advice, space for events and parties, after-school clubs, Job Centre Plus, support & advice for mothers, adult classes, children’s play groups, older people groups and a welcoming café with prices local people can afford.

It will contain:

  • A secure NHS data line, waiting area and separate entrance for health provision.
  • Housing management and the Somerleyton Trust’s offices.
  • Large hall that can be divided to run simultaneous events.
  • Café
  • Office space and storage facilities
  • Secure garden/play area

It will be located next to and will work with:

  • Afro-Caribbean Hair salon and training facility: The community in Brixton know that the hair salons are important community hubs.
  • Children’s nursery: Locating and integrating the Hub with the children’s nursery. Building on the Sure Start model, giving parent of young children support, opportunities and access to services.
  • Convenience Store: Bringing important local amenities and drawing foot fall to the Hub.

A new heart for the community of Moorlands, Guinness Trust and Mayall Road

The Hub, convenience store and hair salon will be open from 7am to 11pm. Somerleyton Passage is currently an unwelcoming alley that discourages access. This welcoming activity to the passage opens up permeability to the area, improves community safety and the quality of local people’s lives.

Chefs school/restaurant – inspiring from the street

Towards the Coldharbour Lane end of Somerleyton Road (just down from the theatre), will be a chefs’ school and working restaurant. The young trainees will have the opportunity to serve paying customers in a location close to the popular food area, Brixton Village. The space and the scheduling will be designed to maximize the use of the space. It will hold events, adult and children cookery classes as well as regular training courses for professional chefs. The restaurant and kitchens be visible from the street, so inspiring other young people to become involved.

Increasing impact and reach by bringing services together

The Somerleyton Trust makes it easier and will encourage the organizations to work together. The chefs school, the Hub, the older peoples facilities, the hair dressers and the nursery can all increase their impact and the communities they reach by working together. For example, a young mum using the children’s nursery can access health advice and employment and training opportunities. An older person suffering loneliness may visit the café and will have easy access to support and activities.

The Trust will also make it easier to build partnerships with local schools, nurseries, other statutory and community organizations.

Strengthening the community

A strong local community improves people’s quality of life and well-being. The Somerleyton Trust will be run in a way that makes it easier for local people to come together. From convenient services for residents such as picking up deliveries from the Hub to community and membership events.

Maximize use of public assets

Both the chefs’ school and the Hub will be designed to maximize the space, both by the design and scheduling of uses. Every additional metre of space costs money. Every hour a space is not being used is a cost to the community. The Trust will be community owned and the community wants to get the very best value for the community from this development.

Resilient community & public services– more impact at a lower cost

All communities in London have seen the impact of cuts to their services and facilities that are underused. The Hub’s design and management will be structured to make it possible for services to be provided at a lower cost and with more flexibility. For example, the provision of health services changes over time. By providing the facilities, including a separate entrance and NHS data line, the NHS are able to hire this facility in the heart of a community and use it in the way which is most effective for them. When they are unable to use it, it will be hired out for other activities.

Good design and effective management

Facilities which cater for a variety of uses need to be designed in a way which allows a:

  • Secure but welcoming reception area with easily accessible rooms for people who require more private discussions.
  • Café and events where people can come together in a relaxed and appropriately staffed environment.
  • Well-designed circulation areas. So groups do not have cross each other getting in and out.
  • Secure access between the different areas. So those using a space know only their attendees can enter the space and associated amenities.

Management which responds to the local needs, ensures financial resilience and capitalizes on opportunities in the public, charity and community sectors. As with the management of the housing, the management of the Hub will need to build on the best current knowledge and engage experienced staff and organizations.

The Trust’s Objectives:

Jobs, training, education and enterprise

  • Jobs, training, education and employment opportunities, for people of all ages.
  • Encourage the growth of a localized inclusive economy that enables Brixton based people of all incomes to benefit from the success of their community.
  • Only work with commercial interests that align with the Trust’s objectives.

Maximizing the community benefit

  • Uses and activities to help improve health, community safety and quality of life.
  • Support social cohesion and promote the rich cultural diversity and heritage of Brixton.
  • Ensure the facilities and services are managed efficiently and run for the benefit to the community, being welcoming to all parts of the community and are resilient as possible to any government or charitable funding cuts.
  • Encourage cooperation and actively build on synergies between the non-residential occupiers, and the wider community, voluntary, business and statutory organizations.
Click here to see the Trust’s objectives