Granby Four Streets Community Land Trust

Granby 4 Streets is a community-led regeneration project in Toxteth, Liverpool. For decades, the area had suffered from poverty, derelict housing, and government plans to demolish homes. In response, local residents formed a group to save their neighbourhood. They fought to stop demolitions, cleaned and painted abandoned buildings, planted flowers, and held street markets to keep the community spirit alive.
In 2011, the group became a Community Land Trust (CLT)—a non-profit that owns and manages land for the benefit of the community. They attracted funding from a social investor, which helped them hire architects and develop creative ideas, including converting an empty house into a glass-roofed Winter Garden. This work won the prestigious Turner Prize in 2015.
The council transferred ten houses to the CLT, five of which are now rented out affordably, and five were sold to raise funds. Their success inspired housing associations and cooperatives to renovate 70+ more homes in the area. They also launched Granby Workshop, a social enterprise that creates household items using construction waste.
The project has created green spaces, supported local artists, and hosted street events, performances, and workshops. It’s revived a once-neglected area, created jobs, and restored community pride. The CLT is now nearly financially self-sufficient through rental income.
Granby 4 Streets is innovative because it’s one of the UK’s first examples of a poor community taking charge of regenerating an entire neighbourhood—preserving old homes rather than replacing them. It has influenced local government policy and shown that communities can lead meaningful, lasting change when given the tools and support.