From left-behind to landmark: Using sustainability to unlock temporary accommodation supply

What does Zodiac House teach us about re-purposing the capital’s out-dated buildings to catalyse housing-led regeneration?

The derelict 1960s housing and office complex in West Croydon had stood empty for more than 30 years. It has now been transformed into 73 planet-responsible homes.

With initial development funding from Mitheridge and a loan from Homes England, Common Projects upgraded and redesigned the residential and office buildings into new homes, saving the carbon equivalent of planting 120,000 trees. The scheme also includes shops, a nursery, courtyards, and a large new community common featuring a pavilion café and event space.

Zodiac House was transformed into temporary accommodation to kick-start the regeneration of Broad Green in Croydon. What can we learn from this example and apply to elsewhere to unlock sustainable homes that also create vital community spaces?

Speaker

Steve Sanham, Co-founder, Common Projects

Steve Sanham established Common Projects in 2021 as a development company led by a purpose to put people and planet at the heart of its decision-making. Steve has an extensive track record in the built environment, specialising in urban regeneration and in using development’s power to deliver better outcomes.

• This is the story of the reuse of an abandoned and feared building that was attracting antisocial behaviour and known as an eyesore to the local community. Zodiac House was aspirational at the time it was built in the 1960s. Common Projects bought the derelict building with a fire brigade enforcement notice on the leasehold homes, no insulation and single glazing. The aim was to create much-needed housing, and to ‘stitch’ the High Street back together
• As the strategy for the building was taking shape, Common was starting to understand Croydon’s temporary accommodation crisis. They thought carefully about how this site could help.
• To get funding for projects like this, you need to demonstrate that you’re reducing investor’s risk – both during the construction process and by having a clear exit strategy. Quantifying social return and bringing that into investment decisions would help unlock projects that can tackle multiple crises at once.
• There is appetite to create models to scale up this kind of development. Temporary accommodation is costing councils £6m a day in London, so there are lots of conversations going on in central and local government There are solutions on the horizon – for example, guaranteed loans for this sort of development.

“If we’re going to grapple with the climate crisis, there needs to be action now. We can’t build super energy-efficient buildings and hope we’ll get the carbon payback over 70 years. If we’re waiting for that, we’re all in a lot of trouble. So we need to do as much as we possibly can with what we’ve got at the moment.” – Steve Sanham

Thank you to our sponsors you made the conference possible

Countryside Partnerships | Montagu Evans | Pollard Thomas Edwards | Trowers & Hamlins | Common Projects | Greengage Environmental | Ridge and Partners |  Sheppard Robson

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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