A former Ladywell school site once earmarked for travellers could become a thriving community with people building their own homes and growing food for themselves.

That's the vision of Kareem Dayes, whose parents - like their neighbours - built the house where he grew up in Walters Way, Honor Oak Park.

Lewisham Council, who abandoned unpopular plans for a travellers site at the former Watergate School in Church Grove, have now designated the land to be used for the borough's first self-build project since Walters Way.

And the community land trust Mr Dayes is part of - the Rural Urban Synthesis Society (RUSS) - has been granted £186,690 from the Greater London Authority to develop a bid for the Ladywell site.

Mr Dayes, 27, said: "This is fantastic news. Up until this point we have been run completely by volunteers. This money will enable us to take our proposals to the planning permission stage so that we can bid to build sustainable low-cost homes in Lewisham." 

The group - praised by Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud - will use the money to pay for professional legal and architectural services for a future planning application.

Mr Dayes, a musician who also spent time living in New Cross's Sanford Housing Co-op, explained: "My parents grew up in the street where I lived everyone built their own houses.

"Those experiences inspired me to want to do something similar."

Initial proposals drawn up by the group for 34 dwellings have not proved popular with all neighbours, and Mr Dayes said they were now going "back to the drawing board" to consult with people and reduce the housing density.

Along with largely 3-storey homes, they plan green roofs and conservatories for growing food, cutting waste and reducing emissions. Car use will be discouraged.

Mr Dayes said: "We want to make it as sustainable as possible.

He added: "We're trying to provide social housing for people on the housing list as well as affordable rent for local people."

Homes could be built with an on site factory and prefab housing, providing training and apprenticeships for local people, while costs are estimated at up to £6m, depending on council valuations of the land.

Mr Dayes said: "We've spent three years or more so far campaigning for this and getting things this far.

"We really want to push forward now and we're looking for local people who want to get involved."

RUSS will be holding an open day in the new year where people can find out more about their plans. People interested in community housing and self-build can join from £1 and members have a say about how the organisation is run and how the housing plans develop. Visit theruss.org for details.

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The old Watergate School site in Ladywell


Self-build in Lewisham

Mr Dayes' parents built their home in Walters Way back in the mid 1980s for just £30,000.

They were following the ideas of Walter Segal  who came up with a method of using timber frames without the need for techniques like bricklaying and plastering.

Back in the 1970s, Lewisham council made sites available for people on the housing waiting list to build their own homes.

The first scheme, Segal Close, started in 1979, with Walters Way following five years later. In all, 27 houses were built there using the Segal method.

Sadly, Mr Segal passed away in October 1985 before the final buildings were complete.