Sociability at Central Somers Town – Conference field trip

What can we learn from Central Somers Town in Camden about fostering social connections through housing development? We walked through the neighbourhood to learn about this masterplan-led multi-phased redevelopment, visiting private sector housing, Stirling Prize-nominated social housing and a new primary school, and various public realm and active travel initiatives.

Speakers

• Anne Wynne, Associate, DSDHA
• Clodagh McCallig, Development Team Leader, Camden Council 
• Jane Debono, Principal Planner, Camden Council 
• Johanna Gewolker, Principal Transport Planner, Camden Council 
• Lauren Walter, Development Manager, Camden Council 
• Nerissa Sweeney, Senior Development Manager, Camden Council 

Clodagh McCallig, Development Team Leader, Camden Council 

The Central Somers Town masterplan takes a holistic approach to regeneration, transforming this unique inner-city neighbourhood to a vibrant mixed-use community. The need for redevelopment of the Edith Neville Primary School became a catalyst for broader community engagement and improvements which are realised through a masterplan for regeneration of the wider community. The first phase of masterplan delivery focused on providing key community assets such as a new school building for Edith Neville Primary, a new home and play facilities for Plot10 Play along with much needed social housing and a community space now occupied by Scene & Heard.  

• The integration of cross-subsidy models, delivering the scheme through Camden’s Community Investment Programme (CIP), has enabled the reinvestment of land value into community assets such as schools, community hubs and public spaces. 
• Aligning market-driven development with deep social objectives necessitates strong multi-agency collaboration. 
• Policy and funding frameworks have created integrated, community-led regeneration by combining housing and educational facilities with public spaces that create cohesive and sustainable communities. 

Jane Debono, Principal Planner, Camden Council 

The masterplan carefully integrates green spaces, play areas, and pedestrian-friendly streets to create a cohesive and sociable neighbourhood. It focuses on improving wellbeing through thoughtful streetscape design and connected public spaces, supporting the broader goals of the development. 

• Landscape-led design enhances sociability and wellbeing. The incorporation of green spaces, play areas, and connected streets transforms housing schemes into vibrant neighbourhoods, fostering community interaction and improving quality of life.
• Maintaining quality public realm and green spaces over the long term is challenging without dedicated budgets and stewardship plans. Public realm improvements risk deterioration if funding and stewardship aren’t planned for post-construction. 
• Ensure landscape and public realm are treated as core infrastructure, with protected funding and measurable social outcomes. This approach supports the long-term sustainability and success of urban regeneration projects. 

Lauren Walter, Development Manager, Camden Council 

The project continues to progress in phases, adapting to community needs and updated building regulations for the final phase of the masterplan. Flexible funding allocations, like Section 106 contributions, has enabled the plot to be converted to 100% affordable housing. This demonstrates how adaptive finance can expand social housing in central London, ensuring that development meets community needs. 

• Due to the introduction of the Building Safety Act, the design of the previously consented 9-storey residential scheme must be updated to comply with new requirements for Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs). HRBs are defined as residential buildings over six storeys with at least two homes and now require features such as two staircases as standard. These regulatory changes necessitate close coordination between design, planning, and funding teams to ensure project timelines and budgets are maintained. 
• Flexible funding frameworks, adaptive planning and delivery mechanisms are crucial to respond quickly to regulatory changes without threatening project viability. This flexibility is crucial for meeting the demand of delivering affordable housing in London.

Nerissa Sweeney, Senior Development Manager, Camden Council 

The redevelopment of high-density buildings has been paired with public realm improvements and community-focused facilities. The project delivers 34 social housing units for local families alongside a newly landscaped park providing direct access to green space.  

• Integrating social housing with public realm improvements creates both functional and sociable neighbourhoods. As Nerissa noted: “We delivered a total of 34 new social housing units, primarily for the local community, and invested in regenerating the local public realm.”
• High-density developments can be controversial in terms of scale or aesthetics, which may cause friction with local communities. Balancing the need for affordable housing with design quality and public acceptance remains a challenge.
• Encourage integrated planning where new housing, green spaces, and community amenities are delivered simultaneously. This ensures social infrastructure keeps pace with housing development, fostering strong and connected communities.

Anne Wynne, Associate, DSDHA

The ongoing community engagement with the Central Somers Town masterplan has ensured that designs reflect the diversity and evolving needs. Residents including young people have been consulted to ensure proposals are inclusive, with attention to age and gender representation. Ongoing engagement during delivery ensures designs continue to reflect local priorities and adapt to changing community needs, creating spaces that feel genuinely welcoming and sociable. 

• Maintaining participatory engagement over long, multi-year projects is resource intensive. It requires sustained coordination, communication, and trust-building with diverse community groups, which can be challenging alongside construction timelines. 
• Make resident consultation a continuous part of regeneration, not just a step in planning. Ongoing feedback during delivery helps ensure new developments reflect changing community needs. 

Johanna Gewolker, Transport Planner, Camden Council 

Camden is improving sustainable mobility in Somers Town through initiatives like seven Green Mobility Hubs, offering shared low-emission transport such as cargo bikes, e-scooters, and electric car clubs. The Greening Phoenix Road project — funded through an HS2 Green Space Assurance secured by the Council to compensate for lost green space —has also transformed a traffic-heavy route into a green, pedestrian-friendly space. Both are part of the Mayor of London’s Future Neighbourhoods 2030 programme, which supports climate resilience and better public spaces. 

• Green Mobility Hubs provide shared, low-emission transport options for residents, addressing the 71% of households without car ownership and reducing reliance on private vehicles. 
• Ongoing research and community engagement are key to ensuring mobility hubs are effective. Data is being gathered on how residents use the hubs and whether they meet community needs. 
• Consider and involve residents to ensure mobility hubs meet their expectations, address their needs, and provide a high level of satisfaction. 

Conference session write-ups

Keynotes

Somers Town field trip

Resident protection and wellbeing

The power of Passivhaus

Quality housing for all

Resident safety and wellbeing

Unlocking temporary accommodation supply

An equitable future: Lessons from Kidbrooke Park

Postcards from future neighbourhoods

Systems thinking to deliver future homes

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Homes for the Future programme

The conference is part of our major Knowledge programme for 2025/6. The conference ideas and insights will contribute to our overall research.

We will publish a final report in February 2026 with case studies and practical recommendations. Find out more about our Homes for the Future programme.

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