Community Living
Growing Interest in Community Housing
There is more interest now than ever before in people being able to build or commission a new home. The 2010 – 2015 Coalition Government developed a strategy for self build. However with the up and coming election we do not know what will be included in housing policy going forward.
Local councils now have to keep a register of people interested in self build.
The concept is based on the same idea that individuals or groups of people can come together, find and buy a site, appoint their own architect and professional team, raise finance together and build, either themselves, or with a builder.
Benefits
What many people like about this approach is that their homes can be designed to meet higher environmental standards than existing homes or the standard new home from the big house-builders.
An added bonus is doing this with other people who share your ideas and values, and can work together to live more sustainably in other ways, like car sharing, food growing, using renewable energy, sharing expensive consumer goods, and controlling and using all the land on the site.
Some people can be put off by these ‘collective’ activities, and the possible loss of privacy. Only you can decide what is right for you.
Other benefits of this type of community living is having neighbours who you share with, that you can rely on and who you can do things together with to keep the cost of living down. Tasks like babysitting or keeping an eye on children after school can be shared as can looking out for an elderly friend or relative, weeding and digging over the allotment…and so on.
Further Information
For more information about Community Housing visit http://www.cohousing.org.uk
We will be sharing information about other co-housing projects in the UK and see how people respect each other’s privacy and values whilst enjoying each other’s company. Details coming soon but for now follow the links below.
