Building communities at scale
As Respond, an approved housing body and service provider, continues to ramp up its large-scale developments (LSDs), eolas Magazine explores the ways Respond has adapted to working with large numbers of tenants and ensuring community is at its focus.
Traditionally, social housing developments managed by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) were modest in scale and single tenure. The introduction of Cost Rental and the growth of large, mixed-tenure estates have changed that landscape. Respond is adapting through innovation, evidence-based learning, and a deep commitment to community integration.
With 3,458 social and cost rental homes now in construction, including major schemes such as Griffin Point (397 homes) and Lisieux Hall (203 homes), Respond’s approach places people and place at the centre of design, delivery, and management.
A whole organisational transformation
Respond’s move into high-density, large-scale developments represents more than a new housing model. It is part of a major cultural and structural transformation across the organisation. This long-term investment is designed to build stable, resilient communities supported by strong governance, clear standards, and trauma-informed services. The shift involves two parallel journeys:
- a physical journey, scaling up delivery, introducing multi-tenure developments, and embedding place-based teams and community infrastructure; and
- a cultural journey, bringing together trauma-informed practice, global brain health insights, and tenant voices to create thriving, connected communities.
Charlestown
Charlestown marked a milestone for Respond, with 138 homes delivered in a single phase – the organisation’s largest handover at the time. Managing this level of scale brought new challenges around density, onboarding, and tenant engagement.
Respond introduced a multi-skilled, site-based team to provide daily support and ensure a consistent, trusted presence within the community. Lettings were managed collectively across teams, improving communication and responsiveness.
Respond worked directly with the Local Authority on the nomination process and agreed on sensitive allocations, ensuring tenants’ needs were considered from the outset. Frontline staff were empowered to act when issues arose, creating a more agile, people-centred management model that continues to inform all future schemes.
Rathcoran: Brain Health Village
Respond’s collaboration with the Global Brain Health Institute on their Brain Health Village in Rathcoran has provided valuable evidence on how housing and community design can improve wellbeing and connection.
A study carried out by Just Economics found that integrating brain health principles through opportunities for creativity, intergenerational activity, and social participation, reduced loneliness and strengthened tenants’ sense of belonging. Communal green spaces were especially valued.
These insights are shaping future developments: dedicated community spaces are standard in all large-scale schemes, encouraging interaction and engagement. Rathcoran will also have a purpose-built community space to support ongoing participation and wellbeing.
This evidence confirms that the Brain Health Village Framework supports long-term mental, physical, and cognitive health, a cornerstone of Respond’s place-based model.
Elanora Court
At Elanora Court in Dublin, a 153-home apartment development, Respond brought a framework that combines trauma-informed practice, tenant engagement, and the Brain Health Village principles into their way of working.
The model places tenants firmly at the centre, ensuring person-led, trauma-informed services. A shared community room and on-site office enabled staff to engage directly with tenants, creating trust, access to support, and stronger community ties.
Building on the success of Elanora Court, Respond is embedding this approach across all new large-scale developments. Core teams are now integrated early in each project. Collaboration between Respond’s Housing, Services, and Development teams ensures a consistent, high-quality tenant experience. The Tenant Satisfaction rating in Respond is 95 per cent (IPSOS, 2025).
Seven Mills
At Seven Mills, one of Respond’s largest developments with 450 homes, the organisation’s approach to community integration comes vividly to life.
The Tenant Experience team is a trusted first point of contact for tenants, supporting tenants with practical issues that make daily life easier while building strong relationships through everyday interactions.
Seven Mills is home to tenants from diverse cultural and social backgrounds, many of whom had experienced long housing waits before moving in. For some, transitioning to apartment living brought new challenges. Having an on-site, familiar presence has proven vital in building a sense of belonging and stability.
The development reflects Respond’s broader commitment to community integration, where local, person-centred support is embedded into the design and management of housing schemes. Seven Mills is a clear example of how investing in onsite staff who know the community well can foster strong relationships, support tenant wellbeing, and contribute to the overall success of large-scale developments.
By recognising the unique challenges of apartment living and responding with empathy and practical support, Seven Mills continues to demonstrate how thoughtful estate management can build stronger, more connected communities.
A community anchor for the future
As Respond continues to scale up delivery, it is clear this transformation is about more than housing, it is about anchoring communities.
By integrating housing, services, and community support; embedding trauma-informed practice; and continuously improving through data and lived experience, Respond is demonstrating that large-scale housing can be deeply human in design and delivery.
This is the new way of working: a whole-organisational response to building homes, and supporting strong, connected communities.
