Homes for Change

The development, on 
a 0.63 hectare site,
formed part of the 
regeneration efforts in
Hulme and Moss Side, 
Manchester. 

The Hulme estate, which was knocked down to make way 
for the Homes for Change development, was ‘one of the 
highestcrime estates in the country’ (Shaftoe, 2000). 
Tenants got together in 1990 to form the cooperative when
the demolition and redevelopment of their homes were confirmed. 
The tenants wanted a mixeduse, green development with a unique
sense of place and identity reflecting the needs of the cooperative 
members (CABE, 2002).
The aims of the cooperative included: creating a supportive mixed 
community in which Hulme residents could afford to live, and 
choose to continue to live; incorporating green design and sustainable
building technology in designs to reduce costs and environmental 
damage;  adopting a highly participative approach in controlling 
the design,  construction (through self-build), ownership and
 management of  the development (Dawson, 2004).