Croydon’s Brick by Brick founder steps down

The founder and chief executive of Croydon’s development business, Colm Lacey, has stepped down ahead of the company being closed. Lacey established Brick by Brick in 2016 as an arm’s length developer for the council. The company was formed with a vision to deliver 750 homes in the borough. In July, Croydon Council opted to refuse a bid from developer Urban Splash to save the business on the brink of insolvency. Instead it has opted to complete the schemes under construction and collapse the company. Brick by Brick said Lacey will depart in the coming months after final work restructuring the company for the wind-down and setting out the development programme. Lacey said: “In 2016 we set out to prove that it is possible to deliver beautifully designed affordable housing on the kind of small plots which lay dormant throughout London. I am delighted to say that we achieved this, with over 750 homes being delivered across 22 different sites. “With the council opting for a managed wind-down of company activities, it feels appropriate for me to step down after helping the company transition into its final phase. “I will leave with excitement for the future, confident that the Brick By Brick development programme will continue to provide much-needed high-quality housing in Croydon, and stand as testament to the fact that good architecture and principled urbanism are possible even when budgets are tight.”   To send feedback, e-mail emma.rosser@eg.co.uk or tweet @EmmaARosser or @EGPropertyNews Photo from Brick by Brick