DEVELOPER
Solon CHS

LOCATION
Sugar House Lane, London Borough of Newham, E15

STAGE
Completed 2002

SCALE
2 o­ne bed units, 6 two bed units

TENURE
Assured shorthold tenancies

FUNDING
Acme Housing Association - managing agent of tenant artists - and funding of £10,000, Housing Corporation, provision of TSH funding of £144,980 for residential areas, Single Regeneration Budget of Stratford development Partnership funding of £126,000 for external areas and riverside access to adjacent river Lea

PARTNERS
Boss Group - owners of ex warehousing area, Solon CHS, Acme HA, Housing Corporation, London Borough of Newham - support for project funding

TARGET MARKET
Artists, assessed through Acme HA, managing agents

DEFINING FEATURES
Tenants required to be artists from local area, earn less than a maximum amount yet with capacity to pay for space and services. Artists were potentially homeless, as they were being decanted from nearby London Borough of Newham owned centre. Business planning and marketing advice available. Scheme full with zero turnover. Maximum stay being set at between 2 to 5 years. Previously derelict but attractive warehouse next to Lea river, o­n edge of industrial area with increasing arts development

'Newham's planning officer at the time was unhelpful - obstructions were subsequently overridden by committee members. The housing section was helpful and essential for our obtaining Housing Corporation funding,' says Mike Cox, development director

CONTACT
Mike Cox, Solon CHS