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Principles met

  • Enterprise and social economy

    We will promote community-based approaches to economic development that focus on supporting the creation of jobs, social enterprises and other businesses and providing an environment for co-operative and mutual enterprises to thrive.

  • Innovation

    We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.

  • New models of meeting priority needs

    In exploring new ways of meeting the priority needs of our communities we will encourage models, such as co-operatives and mutuals, which give greater influence and voice to staff and users. in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

Stirchley Cooperative Development (SCD), is a pioneering mixed-use project poised to significantly enhance the cooperative landscape of Stirchley, Birmingham (www.stirchley.coop). This community-led initiative will provide 39 affordable rental homes, purpose-built premises for three established local cooperative businesses and a valuable new community space. The development demonstrates a powerful model for strengthening local cooperative economies and provides a framework for similar projects elsewhere.

SCD was established in 2016 through the collective vision of local housing and worker cooperatives. The primary impetus behind its formation was a shared concern for the increasing unaffordability of housing and commercial rents in Stirchley, which threatened the viability of local cooperative businesses and the housing security of residents.

SCD is strategically located on the main high street of Stirchley, a central location intended to contribute to the ongoing regeneration of the area. Key milestones in the project’s journey include planning approval in 2021, purchase of the land in August 2022 and commencement of construction in June 2023. The project will be completed by September 2025. Notably, the development will include a community urban space, featuring a pedestrian passageway, seating areas, a shared courtyard garden, and cycle parking facilities, designed to foster social interaction and create a central hub for both residents and the wider Stirchley community, blending public space with co-operatively owned housing.

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