LDML worked with Heads2Gether Housing Co-op to develop a bid for the Small Sites, Small Builders programme run by the Greater London Authority, which makes small plots of publicly owned land available to small- and medium-sized builders to foster housing innovation. The ‘Small Sites, Small Builders’ programme aims to give community groups control in the housing provision and to create genuinely affordable homes. The bid was assisted by Community Led Housing London, a housing advice and resource hub.

Heads2Gether is a community group of low-income families and individuals who live and/or work in Croydon with the aim to provide safe, secure, supportive, 100% affordable, and sustainable homes. The group is made up of mainly single parents who have experienced cycles of homelessness. Their vision for The Lawn site in Croydon was to provide mutual support and address the housing security needs of single parents through a co-housing scheme.

The proposal consisted of a three-storey building with communal space. The mix of units was defined by the specific needs of the group and its members, offering eight dwelling units ranging from three-bedroom to one-bedroom with a size between 50 to 101 square meters. The bid to Croydon Council came in second place.