Marylebone
“The church has a certain moral authority in these issues and must wield it with grace and compassion” – Revd Clare Dowding.
Summary
Faced with plans for large scale regeneration across two housing estates, about a decade ago residents of Church Street ward set up a neighbourhood forum to address and consult on the proposals. Church Street Ward Neighbourhood Forum is made up of local residents, businesses, representatives from community groups, market traders, church members, arts and culture groups and education services. The Neighbourhood Forum has been developing a neighbourhood plan – an official document, approved by local referendum, which would have to be followed in all future development.
From the beginning, members of St Paul’s church were heavily involved. Their vicar, Revd Clare Dowding, is now the co-chair, stepping up when no one could fill the position. St Paul’s often hosts public meetings and community consultations in the church as it is one of the largest community spaces. Members of St Paul’s actively share in the forum and in local tenants and resident’s groups, and feel that the involvement of the church is a vital part of loving and serving our community.
As Clare explained, the church’s local commitment and moral standing often makes stakeholders take notice. While the church is made up of local residents, it is also an institution that can lever influence. Being part of something bigger allows the congregation to feel that they aren’t alone in their activism. At the same time, St Paul’s has a lot of respect locally. Members of the congregation have a habit of asking people’s opinions on local issues when they run into them at the marketplace, and this culture allows them to speak with authority.
Background
‘This is a vibrant community. That’s as important as any proposed masterplan about housing.’ – Revd Clare Dowding.
St Paul’s parish is in the most densely populated ward in London*. Made up largely of two social housing estates – Church Street and Lisson Green – its community is tight-knit. However, over the last ten years, residents have faced the prospect of large-scale regeneration and redevelopment that risks loss of homes and erosion of community.
Proposed plans for redevelopment were based largely on ‘increasing the number of housing units, despite the existing high density and overcrowding’, says Clare. The most recent masterplan reduces the number of social housing units considerably, with much of the replacement housing classed as ‘affordable’**, leaving it out of the reach of the local population. Clare explained ‘We know London needs to expand its housing stock, but increasing housing units by such a large number in an area that is already overcrowded, without also funding community resources, places a great strain on our life together.’
St Paul’s church has community activism ‘in its DNA’. They try to ask ‘how does the church need to “be” in this community?’. Being a prophetic voice is part of that mission, but more important is listening. The church believes that ‘listening is key. You can’t assume as a church that you know what’s best’.
Impact
Over the last ten years CSWNF have had a considerable impact in decisions facing the community – challenging proposals for high-rise flats overshadowing existing housing; transforming plans for communal & market spaces through community consultation; fighting for a local library to remain at the centre of the community; increasing the number of social housing units in redevelopment; challenging the partitioning of play spaces between ‘private’ and ‘social’ housing; advocating for green spaces and play spaces within regeneration plans; engaging with residents and consulting on decisions that often leave them feeling ignored and overlooked. Clare is proudest of successful campaigns about how the public spaces in the area will be used. A design for ‘the Triangle’ in the middle of their market was unsuitable, so they garnered opinion, organised street-based consultations, and invited the architects and council to a public meeting to discuss proposals. This led them to go back to the drawing board. These successes give confidence to local residents that their voice can be heard and by working together on things like the neighbourhood plan they are part of shaping their own community.
The friendships that have developed in the community – between residents, businesses, community groups and market traders – has led to people getting to know their neighbours better. While people may disagree on certain issues, they know that they are working together to build a way forward for the good of the whole community. Relationships have been built between members of the community and between the church and their neighbours.
Establishing a listening culture in the church and local community has had a considerable impact on the church’s life. Drawing on models of congregational and community organising the church has bridged the gap between mission and ministry, addressing systemic issues rather than just reacting to crises. Where they do need to act, they are able to do so more flexibly because they are listening to their community before issues build up. Community listening has also shaped worship and liturgy – sharing in conversations, testimonies and praying for local issues and concerns raised by members of the congregation.
What do you need?
Clare argues that helping to lead the community can only be done if respect has been earned.
Building partnerships, sharing in conversations, listening, creating space for dialogue and decision-making help shape a culture of church as ‘being with’ rather than ‘doing to’ or ‘knowing better than’ its community.
Clare suggests that the other work the church does – for example community meals and mental health work, and even specifically on homelessness and housing – help provide legitimacy for them to speak out as well.
Personnel
Clare has served in estates-based ministry since 2003 and prior to this trained and taught in the field of informal & community education and community organising. She sees ministry as primarily incarnational and rooted in presence.
The Neighbourhood Forum hires an Arabic-speaking community engagement officer to help listen to the whole community.
Finances
The Neighbourhood Forum has received fundraising for community engagement officers, community events, publicity and office administration, but it also utilises the goodwill of the community – meeting in community spaces, encouraging participation, and sharing resources wherever possible.
Tips
Clare emphasises that churches should not seek to take control, because good work is often already being done.
Instead, start by just going along to local tenants and resident’s meetings or neighbourhood forums – listening and being with people. Consider offering the church building for dialogue on local issues.
A neighbourhood plan – the document developed by the community – has to run alongside the masterplan, produced by the local government or developers. This means that you have to keep a close eye on whether the masterplan changes.
They say that ‘partnerships are key’ because you can rarely change things alone. In particular, in diverse areas, working with other faith communities is important. They explain that if the bonds are already there, this is easier.
*Data taken from the Greater London Authority’s Land Area and Population Density, Ward and Borough, based on the 2011 Census.
**‘Affordable’ housing is sold or rented at 80% of the market value or below. This definition has been widely criticised for being disconnected from what people can afford. Only half of the overall development in the Church Street masterplan will be ‘affordable’ even by this misleading definition – see here.
