Coin Street Community Builders

Coin Street Community Builders is a London-based social enterprise and development trust established in 1984 after years of local campaigning. The organisation emerged from resident resistance to office-led redevelopment plans for a derelict 13-acre site on the South Bank, between Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges. Backed by the Greater London Council, Coin Street acquired the site for £1 million, significantly below market value, with the aim to prioritise affordable housing and public spaces over commercial office development. Since its foundation, Coin Street’s activities have transformed the area from a neglected riverside into a distinctive mixed-use neighbourhood. They developed four housing co-operatives—Mulberry, Palm (Broadwall), Redwood, and Iroko—providing stable, affordable homes designed by notable architects. The organisation also oversaw the redevelopment of major sites including Oxo Tower Wharf, now home to studios, shops, and 78 co-op flats, and the creation of public spaces like Bernie Spain Gardens. Beyond housing, Coin Street generates income through commercial property, events, and venue hire, reinvesting the surplus into community facilities and programmes. Their neighbourhood centre includes childcare services, meeting spaces, and offices. Current initiatives encompass community programmes for families and young people, sports and dance sessions, as well as local events. Coin Street’s development model has been recognized for involving residents in decision-making and for combining entrepreneurial strategies with community objectives. The organisation continues to set an example in locally driven urban regeneration in London.