Action on Disability Centre for Independent Living (West London Disability Hub), LB Hammersmith and Fulham

Empowering People

• 429m2 of Community Space Delivered (with Changing Spaces WCs)
• 25 New Volunteering Opportunities Created
• 1,200 People to access AOD Services
• 80+ Young People Accessing AOD Services Annually

Growing Prosperity

• 22 Businesses receiving support
•  17 Jobs created, supporting Internships progressing into Paid Employment
• Projecting positive images of disability on building façade through vinyls and graphics to outwardly express the principles for Independent Living

Making Better Places

• 30 Seater (15 Wheelchair) Capacity Meeting Room for free/at nominal costs for Disability Action Groups
• Improved Accessibility to People with Limited Mobility achieved through Accessible Community Spaces

AOD Centre for Independent Living, Ground Floor, 49 Clem Attlee Ct, SW6 7BF

AoD is a H&F-based Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation (DDPO) which means that more than 50% of their staff and more than 70% of trustees are disabled. Their remit is to support and empower disabled people – adults and children – to achieve their potential and to live independently. AOD do this by offering a range of services (Employment, Youth, Independent Living, Benefits Advice), by striving for co-production in all aspects of our work, and by influencing local stakeholders (businesses, community, local government).

Action on Disability’s Independent Living Centre was designed to be safe, comfortable, welcoming and, above all, supportive of the independence of disabled people who use the centre. This meant that accessibility was the founding premise of the centre design and fit-out.

The wider project was the development of a brownfield site on the site of the former housing offices on the Clem Atlee estate by Shepherd’s Bush Housing Group, with the ground floor premises allocated to Action on Disability – and 30 social housing and affordable flats above. With the Clem Atlee estate falling within the 10% most deprived areas of England, with high unemployment, AOD forms part of the civic infrastructure that is essential for the local area. It is well known that employment figures for disabled people are even higher, and highest among those with learning disabilities, who are the main group supported by AOD’s Employment Service.

AOD engaged the services of a garden designer, Helen Allen, who is also an accessibility consultant, co-producing the design, through to the build and planting. With air quality in the area below average, cycling and Changing Places toilet (with bench, shower and hoist) provision to encourage visitors and staff to cycle to the building have also been installed. With the core of the project aiming to deliver a fully accessible centre for the local community and beyond, the Mayor of London’s additional funding allowed the project to enhance accessibility standards, from the fixtures and fittings to lighting.

Delivery Partner: Action on Disability

Project Partner: LB Hammersmith and Fulham, Shepherd’s Bush Housing Group

Landscape Architects: HADA