Grassroots innovations in community-led housing in England: the role and evolution of intermediaries

Abstract

The paper aims to take forward recent research concerning the development of grassroots innovations and sustainability transitions in housing. We introduce and empirically assess a multi-level, process-oriented framework informed by strategic niche management (SNM) and social capital theory. Drawing on qualitative data, the empirical part explores the emergence of community-led housing (CLH) in England as a grassroots-based housing niche which operates in a context of market dysfunction. The paper offers further conceptual development of the role of intermediaries in grassroots niche building. Our findings suggest an evolution from independent sub-niche umbrellas to broader-based intermediaries to leverage and consolidate different sustainability practices in the niche. The results question an unadapted application of the simplistic growth-oriented SNM approach advocating for strategic coherence. In particular, our analysis shows that the development of broader-based intermediary organisations is driven by short-term government funding and carefully preserves the diversity of approaches and identities within the niche.