St Mary’s Village
St Mary’s Village, Hackney
Britain’s first ‘demand-led pepper-potted mixed tenure development’

Situated off Eastway in Hackney Wick, the village takes its name from the nearby parish church of St Mary of Eton and has replaced the run-down tower blocks of the Trowbridge estate, which was built in the 1960s. It is the product of co-operation between the London Borough of Hackney, local residents, housing associations and private sector builders.
What the planners meant when they called this a ‘demand-led pepper-potted mixed tenure development’ is that potential residents are offered the choice of where they want to live and with what form of tenure, without being segregated into social and private zones.
Completed early in the 21st century, the 220 homes range from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom family houses, including a variety of special needs accommodation and several live-work units. The properties have been offered for shared ownership, low-cost home ownership or market sale. Income generated from the outright sale of homes is being reinvested into the area to provide benefits such as a community centre, play area, doctor’s surgery, local shop and environmental improvements.