local authority:   London Borough of Lambeth

Pearman Street Co-operative is situated in the heart of Waterloo just minutes from the mainline railway and underground stations and is close to the river and South Bank amenities. Most of the properties are located in 8 three storey Victorian street properties divided into 21 flats comprising 1 bedsit, 15 one bed flats, 2 two bed flats, 2 three bed flats and 1 four bed maisonette. There are also 6 purpose built houses in nearby Morley Street comprising 3 three bed houses and 3 four bed houses.

In July 1973 the local council served a compulsory purchase order on most of the Victorian houses in Pearman Street condemning most of the accommodation where 219 people lived in unfit dwellings. In 1976 a number of local residents fought the order by forming a housing co-operative and obtaining funding from the GLC to renovate 8 of the unfit dwellings. Following on from the renovation project the co-operative obtained further funding in 1985 to build six 3 and 4 bed houses with gardens and parking facilities in Morley Street. CDS Co-operatives have provided financial and housing services advice to the co-operative since August 1999.

Pearman Street Co-operative is a fully mutual independent housing co-operative. It issues contractual tenancies and has a nominations agreement with Lambeth Council.

The co-operative produce an extremely colourful and informative monthly newsletter called ‘Co-op Chat’ so that members are aware of events and current issues at the co-op. Their excellent tenant's handbook won the top prize in CDS Co-operatives's 2005 Innovation Awards in the Information and Participation category.