Hackney Wick co-living plans ‘send signal’ to all developers, says community group

A vision of what the finished development will look like. Image: courtesy Halcyon

Newly signed-off plans for housing and workspace in Hackney Wick have earned enthusiastic local backing – a rare feat hailed by a community group as a “signal” to developers everywhere.

The groundbreaking proposals for 115-119 Wallis Road comprise 337 co-living homes and a long-term base for the Hackney Wick and Fish Island Community Development Trust (HWFI CDT), whose aim is to preserve the area’s cultural life.

It follows an innovative partnership between developers Halcyon and HWFI CDT to create a site for much-needed housing that will also provide meaningful benefits for the local community.

The resulting development, expected to open in 2028, will see three midcentury warehouses turned into the first co-living scheme in Hackney, offering a new form of housing for renters.

Studio apartments will be surrounded by a range of communal facilities, including gyms, cinemas, gaming suites, lounges and terraces, with all bills included in one monthly rent payment.

The plans also feature spaces that can be used by members of the public, such as a courtyard and a new square next to the historic Eton Mission Rowing Club.

Hackney architects Morris & Company were responsible for the designs, which were recently given the go-ahead by the London Legacy Development Corporation in one of its final acts before handing its planning powers back to the four Olympic boroughs.

Patrick Scally, executive lead at HWFI CDT, said: “To preserve the rich social fabric of Hackney Wick, we believe that the community should not just be beneficiaries, but owners of the change they see in their neighbourhood.

“This site will deliver against that mission and sends a signal for all in the development sector to hear.

“The time is now to believe in our communities, give our communities voice and let them truly shape their future.”

HWFI CDT currently uses the site to run a circular economy hub known as The Loop, which offers affordable workspace to local entrepreneurs trying to help the environment.

As part of the redevelopment, Halcyon has agreed to give HWFI CDT a space, rent-free, for at least 99 years.  

Neil MacLeod, founding partner at Halcyon and a local resident, added: “Alongside securing the regeneration of this key site, we are looking forward to providing the Hackney Wick and Fish  Island Community Development Trust with a long-term home, enabling fantastic opportunities for Hackney’s creative industries.

“This is a partnership we hope can be replicated across the development sector in London, ensuring that local people benefit meaningfully from development.”

Halcyon said renters at its other buildings in Harrow, Earlsfield and Battersea were already enjoying the benefits of co-living, and “not suffering from the typical historical problems that have plagued the private rented sector, including poor quality accommodation, loneliness and negligent landlord practices”.