George Downing Estate. An urban community site.

This website has been created by estate residents alongside residents’ meetings and wider community engagement. It brings together local information, knowledge, and resources to help us care for our estate, strengthen connections and empower our community.

Resident meetings

Residents gather in the Boiler House or out on the estate about once a season to discuss issues and share thoughts and ideas.

The last meeting was Summer 2026, check this space for updates and upcoming meeting dates or go to the meetings page for more.

MEETINGS

Estate management issues
Residents started meeting in the Boiler House in 2021 in response to long-standing frustrations with Southern Housing’s lack of presence, poor communication and limited action on persistent estate issues.

For years, residents have experienced inaction on repairs, maintenance failures and unresolved communal problems.

Issues such as damp, mould and leaks, faulty lights, lift failures and insecure doors have remained unresolved for months or years, often leading to more serious problems and larger scale solutions, at greater costs to residents.

Residents continue to connect, work with local Councillors and the Mayor’s Office, build relationships with Southern Housing at different levels and if needed raising formal complaints with Southern Housing and the Housing Ombudsman.

Improvements have been seen, but there is still a long way to go to achieve what could be called an acceptable standard of service from Southern Housing. Poor communication and unreliable systems for tracking repairs and complaints continue to be a serious problem, with residents having to raise the same repairs again and again, chase jobs and attempt to escalate issues within a fractured system.

Moving forward The introduction of the Local Link model, with an area-based team and dedicated manager, has improved communication and provided a more consistent estate presence.

In late 2025, residents joined the team on two walkabouts to inspect communal areas and discuss ongoing issues, leading to the resolution of several longstanding problems.

The team will now hold bi-monthly walkabouts open to all residents, alongside regular surgeries where residents can discuss individual issues directly with Southern Housing representatives.

The Boiler House

COMMUNITY SPACE

The Boiler House is a well loved, multi use community space in the middle of George Downing Estate.

  • Boiler House Development

    The long term development of the community space is progressing and currently passing through required planning and ecological survey processes.

    The sports pitch is now open and it’s surrounding green spaces are being developed and maintained by estate residents. Find out more

  • Felix Fresh Events

    The Boiler House recently hosted events by the Felix Project, distributing free fresh fruit and veg to the community.

    The scheme, created to reduce food waste was open to all. The Boiler House hope to be hosting another event soon - watch this space.

  • SNUG Quiz Nights

    Stoke Newington Common Users Group recently hosted two quiz nights at the Boiler House, raising funds for the Common, including a custom piece by the Hackney Mosaic Project.

    The events were completely sold out and much enjoyed, bringing the local community together. We hope SNUG will continue to host similar events in the future.

Southern Housing walkabouts with residents

Over the past couple of years residents have been working with Southern Housing to arrange walkabouts of the estate.

Walkabouts enable us to speak directly with estate management representatives, giving them a clearer idea of the estates unaddressed and reoccurring problems and pointing out specific issues.

The new Southern Housing local link team will be holding bi-monthly walkabouts, open to all residents, from September 2026. See this space for upcoming dates.

More info and summaries of the walkabouts here.

Resources for older residents

WE NOW HAVE A PAGE WITH RESOURCES FOR OLDER RESIDENTS.

Please have a look and share with anyone who may find it useful. We welcome feedback and suggestions.

VISIT

  • Our landscaping is managed by Southern Housings garden maintenance team.

    The condition of greenery on the estate is important to residents. There’s been concern about the amount of plants and shrubs that have died off over the past few years, leaving empty areas in beds across the estate.

    Residents have begun a dialogue with the head of the gardening maintenance team and the estate services manager. During summer 2023 we had a walkabout meeting to raise residents concerns and see where improvements might be made. Read the minutes

    In October 2024 some new planting has been added in spaces raised by residents.

    What else would you like to see?

  • There has been an increase in gardening activity from residents on the estate, individually and together with others.

    A gardening group has been formed as part of the Boiler House garden project. The group recently created a rain garden, which they maintain and care for. The group is also involved in shaping future garden spaces as they emerge across the estate.

    The Southern Housing gardening maintenance team are also keen to hear residents thoughts and are open to resident involvement. They would especially appreciate residents helping give extra care to the greenery during hot, dry spells.

    If you have thoughts or ideas you’d like to share, come along to a meeting or get in touch

  • The Boiler House along with estate residents are creating a series of garden spaces on the estate, providing flexible and welcoming outdoor space to support a range of wellbeing needs and everyday activities, encouraging people to spend time outdoors in ways that feel natural and accessible.

    Spaces include sunny and shaded areas, with places to sit, unwind, reflect and connect.

    Everyone is welcome to get involved, from helping care for the gardens and grow food to joining seasonal workshops, community events, and volunteering. Through hands-on experiences and shared knowledge, people can learn about gardening, sustainability, biodiversity, and horticulture at their own pace.

    The gardens are intended to be shared spaces that bring people, nature, and community together.

  • The campaigns section of this website could help residents wishing to collaborate - share ideas and plans, explore funding opportunities, or promote any potential groups or projects.

  • Recycling facilities on the estate include general recycling, food waste, garden waste and a clothing and textiles bin.

    The Boiler House garden project has incorporated sustainability measures include rainwater harvesting, tree planting, wildlife habitat creation, composting and reusing materials wherever possible.

    Does anyone have ideas or suggestions to make our estate more environmentally friendly?

  • As well as helping our greenery flourish, spaces that attract wildlife create a healthier ecosystem.

    Our estate is home to a range of animals, birds, bugs and bees - we even have a resident beekeeper working to increase our bee population. Residents across the estate have been creating more wildlife friendly spaces with habitats and planting to encourage pollinators.

    What else could we do to make our estate a more wildlife friendly place?

Green George Downing🌿

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