Case Study

Community Centre and Shop at Rosendale Allotments Association

Building type: Offices | CafƩs
Project price: Ā£123,000
Completion date: 2012

Rosendale are one of the largest allotment sites in London, with over 450 plots and a waiting list of 800. Their only communal building was a dilapidated old hut!Ā After a lot of hard work, they were delighted to be awarded a substantial Lottery grant part of which they wanted to use to build a meeting centre not just for members but also for the wider community.

What made The Commercial Escape stand out from the other providers?

Initially we were attracted by the beautiful design and the reasonable price of The Commercial Escapeā€™s eco-buildings. Once we made the first enquiry, we were impressed with the approach of the firmā€™s staff and the level of personal interest shown in our project. They took on board all of our requirements and designed us a building which satisfies them all.

What are the biggest benefits of your building?

We now have a fabulous community centre with a meeting room, kitchen facilities, a brand new shop and a toilet! Our members and local residents have somewhere to meet and socialise and we now have plenty of space in which to run our education programmes on small space urban gardening and environmental issues.

How did you find working with The Commercial Escape overall?

The entire project was brilliantly managed from start to finish, and the whole experience was excellent in every way.

"Excellent in every way."
Rachel Sharp
Chair of the Grants Committee