Orms prioritised reuseFrom Empty Buildings to Community Homes: A Pilot Model for Adaptive Reuse as Social Housing

Converting underused historic and heritage buildings into permanent affordable housing. Starting with Canute’s Palace (Grade I listed warehouse, Southampton), this pilot demonstrates how adaptive reuse — whether heritage, industrial, or commercial buildings — can prevent demolition, reduce waste, and create homes for people on waiting lists. A scalable model for communities nationwide. and design for disassembly through thoughtful collaboration in our retrofit first office fit-out, while also demonstrating reuse doesn’t have to look ‘recycled’.

“Empty buildings are not waste – they’re untapped assets waiting to house the people our communities have forgotten.”

HouseLottery is pioneering adaptive reuse as a solution to the UK housing crisis. We convert underused buildings — heritage, industrial, commercial — into permanent affordable homes, creating social value while reducing environmental waste.

Our pilot project, Canute’s Palace in Southampton, transforms a 12th century Grade I listed warehouse into social housing. This isn’t just preservation — it’s justice. With 1.3 million people on housing waiting lists and 670,000 empty historic buildings across the UK, adaptive reuse offers a proven alternative to demolition and new build.

Canute’s Palace will deliver:

Permanent affordable homes for people on waiting lists
Community facilities – a café and cultural space
Annual Medieval Summer Festival – bringing the city together
Environmental responsibility – reduced carbon, zero demolition waste
Heritage preservation – restoring a Grade I listed building with specialist care
This pilot proves adaptive reuse works and shows how to scale it across communities nationwide.

Commit

I founded HouseLottery in response to a crisis I’ve witnessed firsthand: empty historic buildings demolished while 1.3 million people wait for homes. As someone born and raised in Southampton, I watched beautiful heritage structures demolished in my youth, a waste of architecture, history, and potential.

I witnessed the demolition of Southampton’s last thatched cottage – a piece of our heritage lost forever. That moment crystallized my mission: adaptive reuse, not demolition.

After decades overseas, I returned to see the problem worse. The housing emergency is real. The solution exists – but it requires courage to challenge the status quo.

I signed the Circularity Pledge because adaptive reuse embodies everything I believe in:

Waste prevention – historic buildings are not rubbish; they’re assets
Circular economy – reuse over demolition
Social justice, homes for people in need, not luxury developments
Environmental responsibility – lower carbon, preserved heritage
Canute’s Palace is my proof of concept. A Grade I listed 12th century warehouse can become permanent social housing, a community café, and a cultural hub. This isn’t charity – it’s systemic change.

I’m signing this pledge to signal that circular practices aren’t just environmental – they’re essential to solving the housing crisis. Every empty building represents a choice: demolish and waste, or adapt and serve.

The Circularity Pledge aligns with my mission to prove that adaptive reuse works and to inspire other communities to do the same.

Plan

Our Methodology:

HouseLottery’s approach to adaptive reuse is grounded in three core principles: heritage preservation, community engagement, and financial viability.

Phase 1: Assessment & Stakeholder Engagement We identify underused buildings (heritage, industrial, commercial) and engage with local authorities, heritage experts, architects, and communities. For Canute’s Palace, we secured pre-application advice from Historic England and consulted with conservation specialists to understand structural and heritage requirements.

Phase 2: Feasibility & Design We work with specialist architects (like Denz Beck, Hampshire Conservation Architect) to develop conversion plans that respect heritage while meeting modern building standards. For Grade I listed buildings, this requires meticulous care but it’s achievable.

Phase 3: Funding & Partnership We identify funding sources (grants, social investment, Community Land Trusts) and build partnerships with housing developers, social enterprises, and local authorities. We’re exploring Community Land Trust models to ensure permanent affordability.

Phase 4: Implementation & Community Benefit Once approved, we deliver the conversion with community involvement. Canute’s Palace will include permanent social housing, a community café, and an annual Medieval Summer Festival – ensuring the building serves the whole city.

Our Goals:

Deliver Canute’s Palace as a pilot model (5+ homes, community facilities)
Demonstrate that Grade I listed buildings can be converted cost-effectively
Build a replicable framework for other communities
Create permanent affordable housing (via Community Land Trust)
Reduce demolition waste and preserve heritage
Inspire nationwide adoption of adaptive reuse for social housing
Success Metrics:

Homes delivered and occupied
Heritage preserved to Grade I standards
Community engagement and local support
Funding secured and partnerships established
Model documented and shared with other communities

Partner

Building Support for the Concept:

HouseLottery is a concept I’m developing to demonstrate that adaptive reuse of empty buildings can solve housing shortages. It’s not yet a formal organization – it’s a vision I’m testing with stakeholders to see if it’s viable.

Validation of the Concept: I’ve consulted with heritage and housing specialists to validate the idea:

A Hampshire Conservation Architect confirmed that mixed-use adaptive reuse (social housing + community café) is feasible for Grade I listed buildings, if managed by a skilled team.
Historic England provided pre-application advice on Canute’s Palace.
SPAB offered guidance on conservation standards.
A social housing architect reviewed the concept and supported the approach of serving community need.
Stakeholder Interest: I’ve engaged with Southampton City Council and shared the concept with local communities. Interest has been positive, but formal partnerships haven’t been established yet because HouseLottery itself is still in development.

Why I’m Signing the Circularity Pledge: I’m signing as an individual founder, not as a formal organization. This pledge commits me to exploring adaptive reuse as a solution and to documenting what I learn so others can replicate the model.

The Reality: This is a pilot concept. It may succeed. It may not. But the principle is sound: empty buildings + housing need = opportunity. I’m testing whether that principle can become reality.

By sharing this case study, I’m inviting others to:

Validate the concept
Identify barriers and solutions
Join in building the model
Replicate it in their own communities
I’m not claiming formal partnerships I don’t have. I’m being transparent about where I am: a founder with a vision, expert validation, and growing support but still proving the concept works.

Act

Implementation to Date:

HouseLottery’s implementation focuses on proving the adaptive reuse model works and building the foundation for Canute’s Palace.

Phase 1: Feasibility & Validation (Completed) We consulted with heritage specialists to validate that Grade I listed buildings can be converted into mixed-use social housing. This wasn’t theoretical – we got real feedback from architects, conservation experts, and Historic England. The result: confirmation that it’s feasible with skilled teams and appropriate management.

Phase 2: Policy Advocacy (In Progress) We launched a parliamentary petition highlighting the 1993 National Lottery rule that blocks social housing funding. This isn’t just complaining – it’s identifying the systemic barrier and demanding change. The petition documents why 670,000 empty buildings remain unused while 1.3 million people wait for homes.

Phase 3: Stakeholder Engagement (In Progress) We’ve engaged with:

Historic England (pre-application advice)
Southampton City Council (Conservation Officer)
Heritage specialists and social housing architects
Local communities
Organizations like Don’t Waste Buildings and Circularity in Practice
Each conversation validates the concept and builds momentum.

Phase 4: Documentation & Replication (In Progress) We’re documenting every step – barriers, solutions, partnerships, learnings – so other communities can replicate the model. This case study is part of that documentation.

Sustainability: Our approach is sustainable because it’s grounded in real need (housing crisis), real assets (empty buildings), and real expertise (heritage specialists, architects, housing advocates). We’re not relying on charity or goodwill – we’re building a model that serves communities and makes economic sense.

Share

Sharing Our Journey:

HouseLottery is committed to transparency – documenting our work so others can learn, replicate, and scale adaptive reuse across the UK.

Public Communication: We share our progress through multiple channels:

LinkedIn – regular posts about the project, barriers we face, and solutions we discover
Parliamentary Petition – a public call to reform the 1993 National Lottery rule, with documented evidence of why it matters
Case Studies & Documentation – like this submission to Circularity in Practice – showing what’s possible and what needs to change
Direct Engagement, conversations with policymakers, architects, housing advocates, and communities
Why Transparency Matters: We’re not hiding our challenges. We’re naming them:

Grade I listed buildings require specialist care (and investment)
Planning systems move slowly
Funding rules block social reuse
But none of these are insurmountable
By being honest about barriers, we invite others to help solve them.

Inspiring Replication: Our goal is to prove the model works – then show other communities how to do it. We’re documenting:

Which buildings are suitable for adaptive reuse
How to navigate heritage conservation requirements
Funding pathways (grants, CLTs, social investment)
Partnership models that work
Community engagement strategies
Quantifiable Impact (Our Goal): Within 12 months, we aim to:

Secure planning approval for Canute’s Palace
Demonstrate feasibility of Grade I listed conversion
Build a replicable framework
Inspire at least 3 other communities to explore similar projects
Within 3 years:

Deliver 5+ permanent social homes at Canute’s Palace
Establish a community café and cultural space
Host the first Medieval Summer Festival
Document lessons learned for nationwide adoption
The Bigger Picture: This isn’t just about one building. It’s about proving that adaptive reuse – circular economy in practice can solve the housing crisis. Every empty building represents a choice: demolish and waste, or adapt and serve.

By sharing our journey, we’re inviting the UK to choose differently.