Populo Living

Our Carpenters Street Art Community Day marked the opening of the 5th Steel Warriors gym, right here in the heart of Stratford - and we were so proud to see the project featured on BBC’s The One Show last week! 💪 Huge thanks to Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and the production team for joining us, connecting with residents, and testing out the new gym equipment - built from knives taken off London’s streets and transformed into a force for good an incredible anti-knife crime charity. Huge appreciation to our Carpenters project team as well as Steel Warriors, Christian d'Ippolito, Global Street Art, London Borough of Newham, Sabia Kamali, and so many more who made the day special. This powerful community event marked the opening of a new outdoor gym, mural and play areas - all part of the resident co-designed regeneration of Carpenters Estate. 🎥 There's still time to play catch up: https://lnkd.in/de4Ge9XY 📷 Photography by Mark Neilson #CommunityImpact #OneShow #Calisthenics #CommunityWealth #EastLondon #AntiKnifeCrime

🏗️ This International Women’s Day, we’re recognising the women leading change in construction and housing development. Despite making up only 15% of the UK’s construction workforce - and just 1% in site-based manual roles - women are excelling, challenging outdated assumptions, and shaping the communities we live in. At Populo Living, we’re proud to work alongside incredible women who are not only driving projects forward but also inspiring the people around them. We spoke to four women in our team - Clare Neilson, Stefanie D., Avril Branche, and Eve Ladden Timbers - who shared their experiences, challenges, and advice for those entering the industry. Some highlights: 💬 "There’s no right career move but there are smart ones. Seize opportunities and make time to go back and study if your discipline requires it - education is one thing no one can take from you." – Avril Branche 🗨️ "Being able to walk past a project and think (or say!) “I did that” brings me joy. I’ve got two young nieces and it’s inspiring for them to see the impact Aunt Stef has on the environment around them." - Stefanie D. 💬 "Don’t be afraid to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and advocate for what you believe is right, even if it feels uncomfortable at times." - Eve Ladden Timbers MRTPI ✨ Their key lessons? 🔹 Challenge assumptions - construction is evolving, never assume anything! 🔹 Invest in growth - mentorship and continuous learning open new doors. 🔹 Find your reason - whether it’s seeing families move into new homes or reshaping skylines, purpose fuels progress. Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/ejK4487p #IWD2025 #WomenInConstruction #TogetherWeRise #DiversityInSTEM

We're pleased to share the news that Populo Living has been nominated for not one, but two RESI awards! 🏠 Thank you to Property Week for the recognition. 🏆 Outstanding Achievement in Affordable Housing 🏆 Development of the Year (150-350 homes) – for Plaistow Hub (an achievement we're please to share with our project team Vistry Group, Pitman Tozer Architects, Cumming Group UK & Europe, DP9 Limited, Tullys, EDC - Engineering Design Consultants, Gillespies, Travel and Transport Planning Consulting Ltd (TTP Consulting), Hickton Quality Control 🏙️ We’re on a mission to deliver high-quality homes for London Borough of Newham – from affordable housing and co-designed regeneration that meets local needs to vibrant build-to-rent developments like Plaistow Hub, which is building strong community connections around Plaistow Underground Station. Being recognised for these efforts is an incredible honour. A huge thank you to our dedicated team, our partners, and the communities we work with! #RESI #Awards #AffordableHousing #BuildToRent #Newham

Our Carpenters Masterplan has been shortlisted for a Pineapples Future Place award, and today’s the day we present! 🎉 Catch Nick Clough, Carpenters Project Director, presenting the co-created vision behind one of London’s most ambitious estate regeneration schemes at 10:20am. 📅 Join us live – registration is free: https://lnkd.in/g49SNiJE London Borough of Newham #CarpentersEstate #Regeneration #PineapplesAwards #FuturePlaces

Procurement Act 2023 Doubles Down on Social Value! 🚀 In a world where governments and international organisations are scaling back on vital initiatives including DE&I programmes, it’s refreshing to see Social Value finally getting the respect it deserves. The Procurement Act 2023 which came into effect today puts social value front and centre in public contracts, moving beyond box-ticking to real, measurable impact. Here are some key takeaways that resonate with my work at Populo Living and across our #CarpentersMasterplan projects: 🔍 Increased Transparency Public bodies are now required to track and report how suppliers deliver their social value commitments. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been working closely with suppliers driving the next stages of the Carpenters Masterplan to sense check delivery methods and ensure these commitments translate into real action. 📌 Mandatory Consideration Social value is no longer just an optional extra; it’s now a significant factor in contract awards. While value for money and quality will always be key in public spending, it’s fantastic to see social impact becoming a mandatory consideration. 💼 Empowering SMEs The Act levels the playing field for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially those deeply embedded in their local communities. Working with and empowering hyper-local SMEs has been a key part of my role, and the delivery of meanwhile projects on the Carpenters Estate will continue to create opportunities for them. 📊 Focus on Measurement Let’s face it, if you can’t measure impact, it’s as good as not being done. The Act prioritizes measurement frameworks, but I’m keen to see how these can capture the nuances of impact across different communities. This is something we must get right. 🏡 Potential for Community Impact The Government’s goal? To ensure procurement drives real benefits for communities—from job creation and skills development to sustainability. On the Carpenters Estate, we’re already delivering on this, from employing local residents to embedding long-term social value commitments with future tenants. 🚀 I look forward to engaging with colleagues on how we can maximize these changes to deliver meaningful impact. Let's make social value more than a buzzword, it’s time for real action. 🔗 What are your thoughts on the Procurement Act 2025? How can we ensure social value is measured effectively? Drop your insights in the comments! 👇 #SocialValue #ProcurementAct2025 #CommunityImpact #SMEs #Regeneration #SustainableDevelopment #PublicProcurement #CarpentersEstate #SocialImpact

We're proud to see our Director of Customer Services, Louise Graham-Smith, chairing an important conversation at the Housing Diversity Network's webinar for International Women's Day 2025. In an industry where women remain underrepresented, it’s vital we amplify the voices driving change. 🔗 Link to register below! Louise will also be joining HDN's May conference on how housing can be a catalyst for social mobility - tackling barriers to employment, skills, and social mobility. Link is here: https://lnkd.in/dRJEPnpy Looking forward to the insights from these sessions! #IWD25 #WomenInLeadership

I was recently reminded of the evening classes some of us at Populo Living did with the The Building Crafts College. Since the college is next to our regeneration of the Carpenters Estate, it was a great opportunity to learn more about their work while picking up some hands-on skills ourselves! We all came away with a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship and expertise involved in the trades. While we were pretty proud of what we managed to create, thanks to our excellent tutors, I think it’s safe to say that Populo Contracting won’t be launching anytime soon! 👷♂️👷♀️😂 It was a brilliant experience, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to understand the built environment from a different perspective. Has anyone else done something similar?

Great to see recent planning approvals for Carpenters Estate, Pier Road, and Cyprus now featured on the NLA City Model at the London Centre! These projects will deliver hundreds of high-quality, affordable homes for Newham residents, it's exciting to see them come to life as part of East London's evolving landscape. #Newham #AffordableHousing

An early start today at the Mayor of Newham's Big Budget Business Breakfast at UEL's Docklands Campus - made even better by the official launch of their Dialogue Cafe UK! ☕✨ Alongside top-tier coffee and pastries, we had the privilege of hearing from Hakan Elbir, Dialogue Hub's founder, who shared the organisation's mission and news of our exciting upcoming collaboration at Carpenters Estate. He also highlighted a sobering reality: only 37% of people who report BSL as their main language are employed, compared to 77% of non-disabled individuals under the Equality Act. We also heard from Victor Olaniyan, Dialogue Hub's Non-Executive Director and Head Barista, who took us through his inspiring career journey - an incredible testament to the value of inclusion and connection. Huge thanks to the Dialogue Hub team for leading the charge in creating more accessible and inclusive spaces. We can't wait to see the Carpenters Estate 'Dialogue Express' take shape, and look forward to what’s next for London Borough of Newham! 🙌 #Inclusion #Accessibility #BusinessBreakfast #DialogueHub

We’re proud to announce that the Carpenters Estate Masterplan has been shortlisted in the Future Place category at the Pineapple Awards 2025! 🍍 The Pineapple Awards celebrate projects that make a meaningful impact on places and people, and this resident-led masterplan embodies just that. The transformative masterplan will: 🏡 Deliver more than 2000 new and replacement homes (50% affordable) 🫂 Prioritise community hubs and amenities in line with residents' wishes 🌳 Improve green spaces and parks across the estate, boosting biodiversity 🛠️ Retain and refurbish 40% of homes 💼 Create new retail, workspace, and commercial uses The Carpenters Estate Masterplan was co-developed with existing residents and our Community Wealth Building team alongside the talented folks at Tibbalds, CampbellReith, Proctor & Matthews Architects and Metropolitan Workshop LLP on behalf of London Borough of Newham. Thank you to LDA Design and XCO2 for landscaping and energy/sustainability reporting respectively, as well as make:good for leading community engagement initiatives that involve residents at every stage! A huge thank you to all our collaborators and residents who have shaped this vision for Carpenters Estate. Best of luck to all nominees! #CarpentersEstate #PineappleAwards #FuturePlace #CommunityLed #SocialValue The Developer and Festival of Place