A fantastic evening at the NLA Guildhall this week for the launch of Building Communities: One Brick and One Heart at a Time by Darren Rodwell.
What comes through powerfully, both in the book and in Darren’s thinking, is a simple but often overlooked truth: successful regeneration is not about buildings first, it’s about people. As Darren said at the launch event real change happens when communities are not just consulted, but genuinely empowered to shape their future.
That philosophy is grounded in a career that has delivered real, tangible outcomes, most notably through Darren’s leadership in Barking & Dagenham, where a focus on inclusive growth, affordability and long-term stewardship helped unlock large-scale housing delivery and transform one of London’s most challenged boroughs into a national exemplar of regeneration.
Congratulations Darren on a brilliant and important contribution to the debate.
What stands out is the balance: delivering homes at scale while ensuring those homes support dignity, stability and opportunity. As Darren articulates 'The Power of Three', people consistently want the same fundamentals: safe, affordable home, a community where they feel valued, and a future they can believe in. It is this clarity of purpose (a clear Mission) that underpins his approach.
We are incredibly proud to have Darren as part of the Attis team. His experience— both in delivering thousands of homes for Londoners and in reshaping how we think about growth adds real depth to our mission-led approach to creating resilient, inclusive places.
Congratulations Darren on a brilliant and important contribution to the debate.
