Zodiac House has long been an iconic part of the West Croydon neighbourhood and will now provide high-quality and much needed temporary accommodation, we look forward to it once again being a key hub for the local community.
Common Projects, the development company focussed on reworking existing buildings and complex brownfield land to deliver social value, and Mitheridge Capital Management have completed the sale of 73 new homes at Zodiac in West Croydon to Croydon Council. From as soon as February 2025, the flats will be allocated to Croydon families with emergency accommodation needs, reducing the council’s reliance on private sector rental accommodation.
Zodiac is the transformation of a long empty modernist office and apartment complex on Broad Green’s London Road into homes, community spaces and public gardens. Designed in the 1960s as a landmark development for the area, its offices and public realm were vacant and neglected for 30 years. Its repurposing illustrates how high-quality conversion of redundant commercial space can play a significant role in addressing the extraordinary temporary housing emergency afflicting many families up and down the country, as well as easing funding issues for their local authorities, which are now spending £4 million per day (£1.5 billion every year) providing mostly private-sector emergency accommodation.
In 2023 the joint All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Ending Homelessness and APPG for Housing Market and Housing Delivery inquiry into the potential for converting commercial properties to good quality homes culminated in a report that underscored the opportunity for this model of development to play an important role in boosting housing supply, if done in the right way. Buildings like Zodiac, which are well connected and embedded in existing town centres and high streets, are particularly suitable candidates for conversion.
In late 2023, Common Projects with architects Morris + Company and housing charity Commonweal, produced new Family Emergency Accommodation Guidance – analysing what currently exists for families in need, and providing a series of design recommendations for the provision of new emergency homes of quality. While the design for the repurposing of Zodiac by re-use specialists shedkm predates this guidance, it will provide a valuable additional evidence base upon which standards (which don’t currently exist) for this kind of accommodation can be based.
Zodiac’s reimagining is also helping deliver homes within the planet’s carbon boundaries. By working with the existing buildings to turn a previously commercial space into apartments, courtyards and social spaces, the huge environmental impact of demolishing and building new has been avoided. The regeneration will include the transformation of a derelict forecourt into the new multifunctional green space, Broad Green Common, as well as a new community pavilion – designed and delivered in partnership with local residents.
Steve Sanham, founder of Common Projects, said, “We have already ‘used up’ the carbon locked up in the many vacant and unsuitable commercial buildings that have no future as offices. Demolishing them wastes this carbon and then new-build development contributes more. At the same time, we have millions of people in need of good-quality homes – a lot of them desperately so. These do not need to be ‘parallel’ issues. With the right amount of care, and attention to detail, these carbon-heavy buildings can have a new life as carbon-efficient homes. We were very pleased to have worked with Croydon Council to close this innovative transaction, and to see that Zodiac’s homes will be used for people in urgent need of safe, secure and high-quality homes.
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon, said: “This is another step in addressing the significant homelessness challenges we face. The increased demand for services and shortage of accommodation means we have to look at doing things differently, and the purchase of Zodiac House is a good example of this. The scheme will give us 73 residential units to support residents facing homelessness. This will improve the Council’s supply of accommodation and reduce spending on expensive other temporary arrangements, as well as providing safe and secure homes for our residents.”
The development was funded by Mitheridge, and by Homes England through its Levelling Up Home Building Fund.
Robert Chevis, Development Director at Mitheridge, said: “Though parts of it have sat empty for decades, Zodiac House has long been an iconic part of the West Croydon neighbourhood. Now, having turned unloved and unwanted office space into high-quality and much needed temporary accommodation, we look forward to it once again being a key hub for the local community.”
Nigel Barclay, Loans Director at Homes England, said: "This latest milestone for Zodiac will enable Common Projects and Croydon Council to transform a derelict site into family emergency housing, whilst minimising carbon emissions during the construction process. This is a significant moment for the project and an excellent example of how we are supporting SMEs that are crucial to building a diverse and resilient housing sector."
Zodiac will welcome new residents in February 2025, with the community garden due to complete later in spring 2025.
