Cohousing: Building the Neighbourhoods We Need in the South-West

'Building the Neighbourhoods We Need in the South-West': An inspiring and challenging title for an event in collaboration with UK Housing Network to mark Barefoot Architects’ (opens new window) 10th birthday. There are times when those of us who are trying to develop cohousing schemes appreciate an affirmation of what a great thing cohousing is – and are also encouraged by new ideas for ways forward.

A film about the award-winning Hazelmead, a cohousing community land trust scheme in Bridport, Dorset, gave a stirring illustration of how living together: affordability, sustainability and – so important – neighbourliness can be positive for wider society too. It reduces the call on public finances and resources such as healthcare. And even land take.

Charles Durrett (opens new window), a Cohousing pioneer from the United States, showed how individual homes in cohousing schemes can be smaller because the Common House supplements them. It’s important for economical and practical reasons but is often “value-engineered” out.

Conventional town planning demands privacy, but cohousing schemes are designed to encourage community, not least through opportunities for casual interactions. So narrower streets and friendlier external space.

Neighbourliness extends beyond the physical boundaries of a cohousing scheme. Charles took us on a tour of schemes in Europe and the United States: communities who have generated businesses and, most impressively, a neuro inclusive cohousing scheme in Iceland where residents generate funds from their own artistic activities.

Then there’s the “making it happen.” The community relationships we look for in a cohousing scheme must begin when the project begins: There is a process: brainstorming/discussion/consensus, to involve people in plans and decisions. Lay members of a group should meet with planners to speak their experience and spread expertise back through the group.

There was a common theme running in the Q and As: ideas around combatting nimbyism and professional ignorance. Current planning policies don’t “get” cohousing, but if politicians are convinced, they can override narrow interpretation.

The most stupendous comment came right at the end from someone in the audience who said he was a planner who also lived in a cohousing scheme. Cohousing should have a privileged position in public policy. It should be treated in a similar way to rural exception sites in recognition of the social, economic and financial benefits for the residents and wider society.

Congratulations to Barefoot Architects and to the pioneer cohousers who have got their projects off the ground. I can’t wait for more cohousing projects to happen.

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If you found this of interest, check out the dedicated pages on cohousing curated by the Housing LIN here.