Invest in Community
Stirchley Co-operative Development is a grassroots, community-led project rooted in B30, south Birmingham.
Our development combines permanently affordable homes, democratic workplaces and active community spaces.
Our Progress
Founded in 2018, Stirchley Co-operative Development is a non-profit Registered Provider of Social Housing . Over the past decade, community members in Stirchley, Birmingham have been working to regenerate the high street, delivering 39 zero-carbon-ready, car-free social rent homes and purpose-built premises for three worker co-operatives – shielding them from the high street rent increases pushing business out of the area.
The project broke ground in June 2023, with partner housing association GreenSquareAccord owning the land and managing the main contract. In February 2024, just one month after 20 households joined the co-op following over 200 households applying for a place in the co-op, the contractor Tricas Construction, went into voluntary liquidation.
GreenSquareAccord’s in-house team took over, with a similar overall cost predicted But repeated delays have pushed the completion date from October 2024 to June 2025 with a small increase in cost which was manageable as rent inflation covered it; this has now slipped to June 2026, resulting in huge cost and increases and hardship for members.
Rising interest rates and inflation, compounded by the war in Iran and disruption to global energy supply, have placed the business model under acute pressure.
We are now seeking loans through non-equity non-transferable bonds (sometimes called loan stock) to to bridge the remaining funding gap and complete the purchase of the building.
Bond Investment Details
We are looking for bonds (unsecured or secured):
Total amount
£1 million with stretch targets of £1.5 million and £2 million.
Individual bond amount
>£20,000 (smaller amounts considered)
Interest rate
<3.5%/annum (paid annually or on maturity)
Security
- < £150,000: No security offered
- £150,000 – £500,000: Tertiary charge
- > £500,000: Secondary charge
Glossary of Terms
- Bond
- A fixed-income investment where an investor lends money to an entity (government or company) for a defined period at a specified interest rate.
- Secured Bond
- A bond backed by specific assets of the issuer. In the event of default, bondholders have a legal claim on those assets to recover their investment.
- Unsecured Bond
- A bond not backed by any specific collateral or assets; it relies solely on the creditworthiness and reputation of the issuer.
- Charge (Legal)
- A legal term for the security interest a lender holds over an asset to ensure repayment of a loan.
- Secondary Charge
- A security interest that ranks behind a first charge. If the asset is sold to repay debts, the first charge holder is paid first, followed by the secondary charge holder.
- Tertiary Charge
- A security interest that ranks behind both a first and a secondary charge, providing the lowest priority of claim among the three in the event of default.
🏗 Your Investment Powers Real Change
Stirchley Co-operative Development (SCD) is reviving a 150-year legacy of community ownership in Stirchley, Birmingham.
We are building more than just homes and community spaces—we are building a sustainable, affordable, and democratically controlled future for the people of Stirchley. Our project on Pershore Road will deliver:
The Benefits of Our Development
This project is set to provide 10% of the Social Rent housing built in Birmingham from 2020-2025 and will provide the following to residents and the larger community:
Stability for existing worker co-ops
Rising rents driven by gentrification threaten the businesses and workers who depend on affordable, secure premises. This project protects them.
Purpose-built design
Residents and worker co-ops have shaped every aspect of the building to suit how they actually live and work, supporting long-term trading and growth.
Zero-carbon ready
No gas connection. Renewable electricity generation, heat pumps, and a highly efficient building fabric protect residents from energy price shocks now and in the future, with reducing emissions as the grid decarbonises. We are also keen to be involved in innovation projects to improve heating and cooling efficiency in our building.
Zero-carbon development
39 social rent homes for car-free households, co-located with a bike shop, Birmingham’s only bicycle frame builder, and strong public and active travel links — enabling high-quality, high-mobility lives without a car.
Community Hub
A Community Hall, café, arts space, cookery school, courtyard, and cycle training facilities give the public meaningful access to co-operative life in Stirchley. The project provides affordable homes, dependable services, and quality employment for people being priced out of the area.
Your investment through bonds is not just a financial transaction, it’s a direct contribution to local resilience, social equity, and long-term community wealth.
🤝 Be Part of the Stirchley Story
By investing in SCD, you’re not just funding bricks and mortar, you’re supporting a movement for community-led development.
Investment Resources
Let us know if you have any questions, we’ll be happy to discuss this process more detail.