Factory Quarter, Ealing – Notting Hill Genesis with The Oracle Group

Factory Quarter in Turnham Green was completed by Notting Hill Genesis in 2010. In recent years, satisfaction levels had decreased, residents didn’t feel listened to, commercial units were vacant and the place felt unloved. Notting Hill Genesis formed a new Placemaking and Estates Team in April 2022 that redesigns the management strategy with community engagement at its heart.

 

 

Who is on the project team? 

 

Sophie Trotman - Head of Placemaking & Estates: Marketing, Digital & Brand 

 

Lesley Versprille, Estate Operations Manager.

 

Describe the context of the community engagement. Why did the engagement take place?

 

An established residential led mixed-use development, Factory Quarter in Turnham Green was completed by Notting Hill Genesis in 2010, revitalising a former factory site with a collection of contemporary homes in a range of tenures. Also providing shops, a medical practice, nursery and landscaped green space, the development incorporated all of the elements that help create a sustainable and vibrant community. However satisfaction levels had decreased, residents didn’t feel listened to, commercial units were vacant and the place felt unloved. So, Notting Hill Genesis put in place an action plan to breathe new life into the scheme, to learn more about what residents wanted and create positive change for the long-term. 

 

Notting Hill Genesis formed a new Placemaking and Estates Team in April 2022, its strategy guided by four key principles of creating excellent places. Factory Quarter became one of its pilot schemes. Historically estate management had focused primarily on providing fit-for-purpose real estate, but placemaking does not stop once a development is built. Lasting success is increasingly determined by providing a high-quality experience and positive social value for local communities, customers and occupiers. Ultimately, it is about putting people first and creating places that reflect their needs and aspirations.

 

NHG took proactive steps to change the culture and practices of its estates management team, as well as developing partnerships, events and a community engagement program that have succeeded in making this a place where people love to live.

 

Tell us what you did, and how you did it. What was your approach in talking to the community?

 

NHG redesigned the management strategy, introducing a restructured Estates Team responsible for everything from boundary to flat door. A new Estate Operations Manager was appointed, emphasising face-to-face interactions.

 

Monthly residents’ meetings were held to find out what residents valued. A priority was a community hub. NHG partnered with local charity The Village, that transforms unused buildings into community spaces. They took over one of the vacant units and The Hub was born. 

 

The Hub quickly became a safe and welcoming space furnished with upcycled furniture where people could come together and children could play. What was intended as a six-week trial turned into a 13-week pop up from September to December 2022. Open four days a week, The Hub was run by eight staff, 12 volunteers, and welcomed over 2,500 visitors. 

 

NHG secured funding for a wide programme with topics from upholstery to composting and yoga to building resilience. There were informal family activities such as homework support, baby music and a toy swap.

 

NHG launched an app to centralise all Factory Quarter information, giving residents a platform for communication. Engagement was rewarded with high-street vouchers. Regular email newsletters provided updates and requested feedback. 

 

On-site services were restructured for example instead of a concierge, NHG’s improved estate services alongside parcel lockers offer residents better value for money. Fresh branding and signage was introduced, helping create a sense of identity and making the commercial units look more inviting. All of the above has helped people to love the place they live.

 

How were the results of the community engagement incorporated into decision making? Have you continued the conversation? Will the community stay involved?

 

Throughout the process residents led the way by saying what they wanted and NHG took this on board. This pilot has highlighted the importance for NHG of knowing their customers and customising their approach to appeal to them, as well as the importance of forming strong, collaborative partnerships. These principles have informed NHG’s ongoing strategy on placemaking. 

 

The plan has been implemented permanently and taken on by the new estates team. The Hub has continued after support from The Village ended and has now become self-sufficient, run by the residents and the onsite estate team. Through the app, residents can book the space for social events or classes, and it is also open to the wider community. The infrastructure is in place for the team to keep delivering. 

 

Residents are engaged and feel sense of pride in where they live – for example an active group of residents were keen gardeners and enjoyed keeping the gardens maintained. NHG now employs them part-time on an ongoing basis for their input to mutual benefit. 

 

NHG has deepened its understanding of how to manage estates in a holistic, tenure blind way that fits the needs of residents and local community. Factory Quarter sought to set the standard for how NHG delivers services for mixed communities, but this is not a one size fits all approach. The pilot highlighted that putting in place a bespoke strategy tailored for the specific needs of each community and place can help both thrive for the long term.

 

Describe your environmental or social impacts and your sustainability approach. 

 

As a result of this committed approach to boosting community engagement, Factory Quarter has become a more friendly and community-minded place to live. A resident survey at the start of the placemaking project scored NHG 2.1/5, whereas a similar survey at the end of The Hub project put that score at 4.8/5. 

 

The strong new branding and signage made the commercial spaces attractive to new local businesses and six units are now under offer. 

 

Residents were encouraged to take ownership of the project and what it could deliver. For example, NHG helped residents secure funding from a ‘Love Where You Live’ grant. They applied via Brent Council to this government initiative which funds one-off projects that aim to make a difference to the lives of people in their neighbourhood. A grant of £1,000 was received, which was used to purchase 6,000 spring bulbs which were planted by residents, neighbours and staff in October. 

 

This has been a powerful lesson in the value of resident-led events and imbedding social value into on-site activities. By empowering residents with the tools and support they need to deliver community projects and partner with appropriate organisations, this type of community engagement becomes self-sustaining and contributes to ongoing placemaking for the long term.