There had been a number of abortive projects for Waltham Forest’s Chestnuts House until finally it was settled with guardians in the early 2010s as part of a temporary meanwhile use strategy whilst the project was reviewed. Tricolor’s job was to engage with the community, including the guardians, to create a longer term meanwhile use plan, a community engagement strategy, a review of development options including market appraisal around residential, commercial and social uses for the building, a revised capital costs assessment and conservation deficit appraisal. We delivered a series of recommendations about taking the project forward including income generation, mixed use development and the wider impact of regenerating the south Hoe Street area in terms of community needs and priorities.