George Downing Estate. An urban community site.
COMMUNITY WEBSITE BY RESIDENTS OF GEORGE DOWNING ESTATE, IN HACKNEY. Estate website
This website has been created as a result of our residents meetings. It can be used to share information, local knowledge and resources, helping us care for our estate and connecting and empowering our community. It’s a work in progress and we hope it will continue to evolve to meet residents needs.
The main issues residents are experiencing have been compiled in a list. We’re adding updates as they come in.
Get in touch if you’d like to share any thoughts or feedback.
Resident meetings
Residents gather roughly once a season in the Boiler House to discuss issues and share thoughts and ideas.
The next meeting will be in 2025. More details on the meetings page.
We are also having estate walkabouts with Southern Housing on a fairly regular basis.
Estate management
The estate residents group formed in 2021 due to growing frustrations and a serious lack of presence, engagement and action from Southern Housing and their contractors.
During the course of 2023/4, we have seen some improvements, although many issues continue to go unaddressed. Residents have been communicating with one another, raising complaints with Southern Housing and the Housing Ombudsman and collaborating with our local Councillors and the Mayors office.
With complaints being processed we saw some increase in engagement, presence and action.
We’ve also been in communication with Southern Housings Director of repairs and estate transformation who attended a meeting in November 2023 with residents, to hear more about our issues. A year of monthly walkabouts with Southern Housing representatives was recommended (see segment below)
A year on there have been improvements but unfortunately the general feeling is that issues are still predominantly going unaddressed.
Topup Truck
The TOPUP TRUCK - a zero waste / refill shop on a repurposed milk float, has been visiting the estate. We’re not currently on the trucks regular scheduled route, although they do occasional visits and can be booked for deliveries. You can join the Topup Trucks George Downing Estate WhatsApp group to stay updated. Join group
Boiler House Development
NOVEMBER 2024
The Boilerhouse development is now underway. The sports pitch, or MUGA (multi use gaming area) has been disassembled and the ground beside Cazenove Road is being cleared for a new custom MUGA. This work is expected to be completed before Christmas. The old MUGA will be finding new life as part of a community garden.
The garden will be created by Heard Landscapes in collaboration with community members and the Boilerhouse charity.
There are three garden design workshops coming up in December which are open to anybody from the estate and the wider community.
Upcoming community design workshops
LEARNING STAGE
Wednesday 4th December
18:00-19:30
SHARING IDEAS
Wednesday 11th December
18:00-19:30
FINAL PROPOSAL
Wednesday 18th December
18:00-19:30
Ideally participants will be able to commit to all 3 sessions. Please email the Boiler House to participate in designing the new community gardens.
More information about the development can be found in the latest update from the Boiler House charity.
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.
Southern Housing walk-arounds with residents
DECEMBER 2024
Over the past year residents have been working with Southern Housing to arrange walk-arounds of the estate, as recommended by Southern Housings Director of repairs and estate transformation.
Walk-arounds enable us to speak directly with Southern Housing, giving them a clearer idea of the estates unaddressed and reoccurring problems and pointing out specific issues.
Over the past six months Southern Housing have conducted 5 walk-arounds with residents on the estate. We were prescribed a year of monthly walk-arounds so we hope the remainder will be fully made up over time.
More info and summaries of the walk-arounds here.
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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.
The residents association has begun a dialogue with the head of the gardening maintenance team and the estate home 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.
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There’s been a wave of resident gardening activity on the estate, with mini wildflower meadows and other growing projects. There
The gardening maintenance team are keen to hear residents thoughts and are open to various forms of 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
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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.
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The Boiler House charity is leading a project to create a community forest garden on the estate, as part of the Boiler House community space development. The space could create opportunities for community connection and wellbeing while improving our estate environment.
What’s a forest garden?
A forest garden is a sustainable and diverse agricultural system that mimics a natural woodland system. It combines trees, shrubs, and other plants to create a self-sustaining environment with the diversity, stability and resilience of natures ecosystems.
Three garden design workshops are planned for December, open to anybody from the estate and the wider community. Details of the work shops are in the development section further up the page.
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Recycling facilities on the estate include general recycling, food waste, garden waste and a clothing and textiles bin.
We currently have a fortnightly visit from the Topup Truck to help reduce packaging waste.
Does anyone have ideas or suggestions to make our estate more environmentally friendly?
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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.
What else could we do to make our estate a more wildlife friendly place?
Green George Downing🌿
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