Wards Corner Community Resource Hub

The idea

This project will deliver a Community Resource Hub for market traders, small businesses and the community at Wards Corner in Tottenham.

The Wards building is the gateway to Seven Sisters and Tottenham, located at the southern end of the high street. This locally-listed three-storey steel-framed building has stood empty since 1972.

The Wards Corner Community Resource Hub will bring the ground floor of the Wards building back into use, providing access to crucial services to Latin American, BME, low-income and other communities particularly affected by COVID-19 as well as other longstanding inequalities. It will provide access to start-up support, business development, online training, housing support, legal advice and translation services.

*We are in final discussions with the landowner for use of the site, and expect to have this confirmed during the crowdfunding campaign. No funds will be transferred to the project without this confirmed permission in place.*

What we'll deliver

Bring the ground floor of the Wards building back into use, creating a community hub at the gateway to Tottenham

Engage local market traders, small businesses and the community to identify support needs

Manage and programme the community resource hub to enable access to identified support services

Why it's a great idea

The project will
• Bring the ground floor of the Wards building - a long-neglected historic high street - back into use for the benefit of the local community, contributing to the local economy and creating a community hub at the gateway to Tottenham.
• Engage market traders, small businesses, local residents and London’s Latin American communities in a co-design process to shape the Hub and the services and cultural activities to be accessed there.
• Enable London’s Latin American communities to access tailored community and business support services and specific cultural activities formerly available at Seven Sisters Market (closed following an electrical outage in March 2020) and Elephant and Castle shopping centre (closed in September 2020 for redevelopment).
• Develop and deliver additional community and business support services for the benefit of other local businesses and residents impacted by COVID-19, enhancing local prosperity and addressing inequalities.

Steps to get it done

Phase 1 (preparation) - Secure any remaining permissions (e.g. meanwhile use permission) - July 2021

Phase 1 (preparation) - Establish Brief to RIBA Stage 01 - July/Aug 2021

Phase 1 (preparation) - Engagement workshops with key stakeholders - Aug 2021

Phase 1 (preparation) - Commission required surveys - Aug 2021

Phase 1 (preparation) - Refine budget and financial model in light of COVID-19 and SSM situation - Aug 2021

Phase 2 (design) - Engagement workshops to identify support needs - Sept/Oct 2021

Phase 2 (design) - Interim co-design through engagement workshops - Nov 2021

Phase 2 (design) - Development to RIBA Stage 03 - Dec 2021

Phase 2 (design) - Final co-design workshops to share the scheme - Dec 2021

Phase 2 (design) - Finalise Technical Design to RIBA Stage 04 and finalise tender process - Jan 2021

Phase 3 (build) - Appoint contractors - Jan 2021

Phase 3 (build) - Appoint Hub Manager and recruit service providers and cultural groups - Jan 2021

Phase 3 (build) - Reinstate entrance and begin remedial work to the building - Feb 2022

Phase 3 (build) - Fit out Hub - Mar 2022

Phase 4 (delivery) - Launch event - April 2022

Phase 4 (delivery) - Contingency period in light of COVID-19 situation - May/June 2022

Phase 4 (delivery) - Full service provision and cultural programming live - Apr/May/June 2022 onwards

This project is independent of the Trust's long-term community plan to restore and bring back into permanent full use the historic buildings at Wards Corner, including a new market. However, it draws on the community plan and represents an opportunity to test and develop some of its propositions. For more information about the plan, see https://www.wardscornerplan.org/.

Imagenes de la traducción español en la galería.

Location

By West Green Road / Seven Sisters Development Trust

The West Green Road/Seven Sisters Development Trus... Learn More

About

Last year we were bowled over by your support – over 300 backers pledged nearly £13,000 to our project. Sadly, we weren't able to reach our target, or secure a firm commitment from Transport for London before the deadline. This meant we did not collect your pledges, and could not proceed with the Community Resource Hub. That doesn't mean we've given up, or spent the last year sitting on our hands. We have some exciting news... In the coming months, we will be formally bidding on the Wards Corner site from Transport for London. If successful, we will finally be able to deliver on the Wards Corner Community Plan, after 20 years of grassroots community campaigning. Last year, we saved the Latin Village from being demolished – this year, we face our final hurdle before we can make the Community Plan a viable reality. But we can't get there alone – we need your help. We're currently fundraising to cover urgently needed costs, so we can ensure we're in the best position possible to bid on the site. We can let two decades of work go to waste. We're calling on all of our supporters and allies, old and new, to help us with one last push. You can find out more about what we're raising money for, and check out some of our great rewards on our Crowdfunder page: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/wardscornerplan – we cannot thank anyone who donates or shares this enough. You can also register your support for the Wards Corner Community Benefit Society and Community Plan here: https://wardscorner.org/get-involved. Registration is free, and open to all – and crucial, so we can show TfL just how many of us there are.

Versión en español más abajo To everyone who supported us in any form in our campaign to make a Community Resource Hub at Wards Corner a reality: We’re sorry to be updating you with the news that we will not be pursuing the Spacehive crowdfunding campaign further. As you might have noticed, in the past month we pulled back from promoting the page. While we had some positive initial meetings with the owners of the site, Transport for London, about temporary use of the space, these have ultimately stalled. Without permission to use the site before July 27th, or a firm commitment of that permission, we would have been unable to proceed even if we had met our goal. Our reasons for not announcing this sooner were that we were hoping that this situation might change, or there might have been another workaround. If you pledged an amount to the Spacehive, this will not have been taken from your account. Spacehive would have only charged you had we reached our total goal. If you think any money has already been collected from your account, please contact Spacehive directly. Despite this, we would first like to underscore that by no means are we giving up on the Wards Corner Community Resource Hub, which remains urgently needed in light of ongoing impacts of Covid-19 and closure of the market. A key priority for the Development Trust this year as outlined in our Annual Report is securing a suitable space for the Community Hub, and exploring different avenues through which it can be realised. Alongside this, we are working towards securing a temporary market and financial hardship support for traders. We are also making progress toward realising the Community Plan to secure a long-term solution for the market and the historic Wards building, which has been neglected for far too long. We will be holding a public meeting on the Community Plan on Wednesday 4th August, 6:30-8:00pm. This will be a great opportunity to see the Plan presented, and engage in discussion about it. We’ll be publishing further information about it shortly, and hope to see as many of you there as possible. We feel emboldened in our efforts by the huge amount of backing we received for the Community Resource Hub during the last few months. From those who shared our proposal widely, or who left comments voicing their support, to those who pledged on the Spacehive page, or who gave their time and skills, together we have all demonstrated the resonance and desire for projects like this, that are driven by and for the communities they serve. While we’re all disappointed to not be updating you with better news, we know this isn’t the end of the road. ¡La lucha continúa! — Save Latin Village and Wards Corner CIC & West Green Road/Seven Sisters Development Trust Lamentamos darles las noticias de que no continuaremos con nuestra campaña de financiación colectiva organizada a través de Spacehive. Como pudieron haber notado, no hemos promocionado nuestra página en el último mes. Esto se debe a que, a pesar de haber tenido algunas reuniones iniciales positivas con los dueños del sitio, Transport for London, sobre el uso temporal del espacio, estas finalmente se estancaron. Sin permiso para utilizar el sitio antes del 27 de julio, o sin un compromiso firme de ese permiso, de igual manera no habríamos podido proceder incluso si hubiésemos cumplido con el objetivo de financiación. Las razones por las que no anunciamos esto con anterioridad se debe a que teníamos esperanzas de que la situación pudiese cambiar, o de que hubiese alguna alternativa viable. Si usted autorizó un compromiso de donativo a través de Spacehive, este no debe haber sido tomado de su cuenta. Spacehive únicamente cobra los donativos una vez se haya completado el objetivo y/o monto total de la campaña. Si usted piensa que se le ha cobrado dinero de su cuenta, por favor contacte a Spacehive directamente y ellos le podrán asistir. A pesar de esto, quisiéramos subrayar que de ninguna manera estamos renunciando al proyecto del Centro de Recursos Comunitario de Wards Corner, que sigue siendo urgentemente necesario a la luz del impacto continuo de la Covid-19 y la clausura del mercado. Una prioridad clave este año para el Fondo de Desarrollo (Development Trust), como se describe en nuestro Reporte Anual, es garantizar un espacio adecuado para el Centro Comunitario, también como explorar diferentes vías a través de las cuales se pueda realizar. Al mismo tiempo, estamos trabajando para garantizar un mercado temporal y apoyo financiero para los comerciantes. También hemos tenido progreso en el desarrollo ‘the Community Plan,’ para garantizar una solución a largo plazo para el mercado y para el histórico edificio de Wards Corner, el cual se ha descuidado durante mucho tiempo. El miércoles 4 de agosto, 6:30-8:00pm celebraremos una reunión abierta al público sobre ‘the Community Plan.’ Esta será una buena oportunidad para conocer el Plan presentado, y entablar un debate con la comunidad. Publicaremos más información en breve, y esperamos ver a muchos de ustedes allí. Nos sentimos envalentonados por el gran apoyo que recibimos en los últimos meses para el Centro Comunitario. Desde aquellos que compartieron nuestra propuesta ampliamente, o que dejaron comentarios expresando su apoyo, a los que se comprometieron con un donativo en la página de Spacehive, o dieron su tiempo y habilidades, juntos hemos demostrado la resonancia y el deseo de proyectos como este, que son impulsados por y para las comunidades a las que sirven. Aunque estamos decepcionados de no haber podido darles mejores noticias, sabemos que este no es el final del camino. ¡La lucha continúa! — Save Latin Village and Wards Corner CIC & West Green Road/Seven Sisters Development Trust