DREAM LIFE GROUP
Contact: Charley Haward, 01273 604681
LATEST EVENT Saturday 25 October 2-5 pm
Local intentional communities at The Community Project, Laughton, East Sussex BN8 6BY (near Lewes) map
A catch-up and networking event for anyone interested in intentional communities. Find out what is happening with the Community Project, Brighton Cohousing, the Brighton eco village group (Antonia) and the Dream Life group in Lewes. With tea and scones. 2.00-2.30: arrival and introductions 2.30-4.00: updates from local groups 4.00-5.00: tea and scones, and possibly a tour of the Community Project The Community Project is awkward to get to by public transport. If you would like, or can offer, a lift to the project from Lewes Station, please email lifts@brightoncohousing.org.uk
Enquiries: info@brightoncohousing.org.uk or 07855 422 414
LAST MEETING
SHARING THOUGHTS & OBSERVATIONS ON SUSTAINABLE LIVING An evening of insight, discussion and inspiration for anyone interested in co-housing, eco-communities and low impact living. LED BY COLIN TINGLE – Colin shared his experiences of the co-housing project he was involved with for 8 years and gave an informative overview of several pioneering communities he has visited including Tinkers Bubble, Brithdir Mawr and the Redfield community. ( a fuller transcript is available from Charley contact as above )
AIMS OF THE DREAM LIFE GROUP
We aim to research models for achieving sustainable and resilient living and to inspire projects involving sustainable, low energy housing with connections to urban infrasructure /community, sharing costs and facilities eg renewable micro-power generation, heating, waste & water management, and spaces such as organic gardens.
Our research findings will be presented here as a ‘Guide’ to achieving sustainable and resilient living in the 21st century.
The development of any Dream Life projects and any local related projects will also be documented here or contact Charley Haward for updates.
AFFILIATED PROJECTS :
BRIGHTON CO-HOUSING GROUP http://www.brightoncohousing.org.uk
Next meeting - we are having a picnic on the beach. 1-3pm Sunday 17 August on the beach by Maroccos cafe on Hove seafront
ANTONIA VILLAGE Eco-village development group http://villagejourney.ning.com/
DREAM LIFE GROUP - VISIONS AND IDEALS
‘The New Frontier for sustainability’
Our vision is informed by current research that identifies the eco-village and the co-housing models as having the lowest eco-footprint of any existing lifestyle designs - our vision of sustainable living is a combination of these two approaches : ‘E-co-Housing’ ! Alan Heeks proposes this vision in his article ‘The New Frontier for sustainability’ Clean Slate Summer 2007. Inspiration is drawn from existing developments such as the Springhill Co-Housing development near Stroud, San Mateo Eco Community in San Francisco using existing apartments, the self build Ashley Vale community in Bristol on an urban brown field site and the Earthsong community in Aukland using urban infill.
Outline of ‘E-co-Housing’ Model :
Proposed Model: -
• sustainably designed low energy housing / buildings – various types
• renewable micro-power generation, heating, recycled waste & water management
• Permaculture / organic garden
• location within town or near to public transport and other amenities
• owner-occupied and managed, co-operative or other shared structure
• sharing facilities for sustainability i.e. to reduce costs, maintanence of site and to build ‘real’ community
Shared Aspects of Project: -
• renewables suitable for less than 100 units sharing = water treatment systems + wind turbine
• workspace / storage where appropriate
• recreation space / garden
• car /bike pool
• laundry room or other communal facility where appropriate
(NB model different from that of Eco-village or Co-housing but borrows elements from both in order to provide maximum environmental and social sustainability)
Proposed Site: -
• connected to urban / urban fringe or existing community.
• New build or eco-renovation to existing buildings.
Eco – Architecture: -
• Principles = orientation, passive solar gain + renewable microgen, water harvesting etc
• Building options = new build types various, eco-renovation
• Zedfactory kit homes http://www.ruralzed.com
Dream Life Group in context of Transition Town Lewes: -
• research a model for sustainable living / energy descended lifestyle
• research feasibility of creating sustainable housing project within/near existing community
• use underlying principles of permaculture design / eco-architecture and Transition Technology ( i.e. energy descent, consciousness ascent, community integration)
THE GUIDE TO
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Co-Housing Resources
Alan Heeks is one of Britain's leading experts on co-housing. He is described as a social entrepreneur, facilitator and writer with a passion for sustainability in the full sense: human, social, economic and environmental. Since 1990, Alan has been the founder and prime mover in three land-based social enterprises. He runs workshops at Hazel Hill Wood and at the Threshold Centre for people who want to know more about starting their own projects. The website of the UK Cohousing Network can be found at www.cohousing.org.uk/
Legal Frameworks
In general all co-housing projects require all parties to sign some form of legal contract. You can design the contract your self to suit the aims and objectives of the project. It may be advisable to get a solicitor to do this. Some existing examples are listed here. They often have many good ideas about the sort of issues that need to be addressed in a co-housing project.
1. Limited Company: -
Often a company limited by guarantee. For example Trelay Farm Cornwall have set up a Company Limited by Guarantee to own and manage their project. Trelay is a not-for-profit Company. As a co-operative, it works to benefit its members. The Company also aims to help others and to share lessons in sustainablity. The Objects for which the Trelay Company was established are widely applicable to many co-housing projects: -
a) To acquire, provide, construct, improve and manage housing and community facilities on the co-housing principle for the benefit of the Company’s Members through the provision of rooms or individual dwelling units on either a rental basis or a purchased leasehold basis.
b) To provide, on the co-operative principle, land or buildings or renewable energy systems or locally grown food or shared equipment and facilities for purposes connected with the requirement of members of the Company; and the maintenance and management of common areas and facilities.
c) To demonstrate and provide educational facilities for the purpose of the advancement of knowledge of the public in connection with all aspects of ecological and sustainable living including, but not limited to, the conservation of natural habitats, the protection of species, the minimisation of waste, the development of sustainable water and sewerage systems, the development of sustainable energy systems, eco- building techniques and principles, organic and sustainable food systems with good husbandry and kindly-kept animals and plants, and ethical community living.
d) To advance the education of the public and to promote research into all aspects of sustainable development (where “sustainable development” means development that enhances the quality of life for all without damaging the environment or the ability of future generations to meet their own needs).
Thundercliffe Grange Ltd. is another co-housing company. They own the freehold of the land and buildings. All leaseholders are directors of the company. Officers are elected at an annual general meeting and monthly meetings are held to determine priority for work projects, review finance, agree social events etc. Leaseholders commit themselves to work[most] Sundays on the house and grounds. All but the most specialist work is carried out by the residents themselves.
The legal structure of Springhill Co-housing is simple and based on a well-established model. On purchasing their 5,000 shares, each household nominated one of their number to be a Director of the freehold-owning Company - the Cohousing Company Limited. Houses and flats are owned by individual households on a leasehold basis - with 999 year leases. In this way they were able to balance the needs of the freeholder and the leaseholders.
2. Private Sector Leasing: -
The Safe Haven project promotes a type of leasing scheme that is a partnership between the private sector, a housing association (now more often known as a Registered Social landlord (RSL)) and a local authority. The owners of empty properties provide the homes, the housing association provides the housing management and takes care of day-to-day repairs and maintenance, and the local authority provides the tenants.
3. Housing associations: -
A Registered Social Landlord is the technical name for a social landlord who is registered with the The Housing Corporation: most are housing associations, but there are also trusts, co-operatives and companies. RSLs are run as businesses but they do not trade for profit. Any surplus is ploughed back into the organisation to maintain existing homes and to help finance new ones.
The Housing Corporation is a government agency that funds new affordable homes and regulates housing associations in England. Canon Frome Court is a well established housing association in a large country house since 1979.
The Confederation of Co-operative Housing gives advice here about changing a housing association into a cooperative.
4. Housing co-ops: -
Housing co-ops are often state funded the The Housing Corporation puts up much of the funding, and therefore can, on the whole, call the tune. However; it is possible to set up a housing co-op which is totally independent. A registered housing co-op is a legal entity which is separate from its members, and it allows those members to co-operate to raise loans, even if, individually, they have limited access to money or credit. With these loans they can purchase secure housing which they themselves control. The members of an independent housing co-op are tenants paying rent, (and so are eligible for housing benefit), but are also their own landlord. This is similar to a limited company with directors.
5. Community Land Trusts: -
A Community Land Trust is a mechanism for the democratic ownership of land by the local community. Land is taken out of the market and separated from its productive use so that the impact of land appreciation is removed, therefore enabling long-term affordable and sustainable local development. The value of public investment, philanthropic gifts, charitable endowments, legacies or development gain is thus captured in perpetuity, underpinning the sustainable development of a defined locality or community. Through CLTs, local residents and businesses participate in and take responsibility for planning and delivering redevelopment schemes.
OPTIONS for starting E-co-Housing in the Lewes Area
So far we have come up with several proposals for how E-co-housing sustainable living can be achieved or worked towards today. None of these options (so far!) fit all the criteria ie sustainability + communality, relative affordability, likelihood of receiving planning permission and remaining within or near urban fringe. However with their pros and cons outlined, each option could be considered feasible for a particular interested party. Therefore ‘next steps’ have been suggested as means of realising each option.
1. NEIGHBOURS UNITE! FOR : Residents / potential residents sympathetic to sustainable living. By joining together with those living physically close eg on the same street - groups can form to share space, gardens, renewable technology etc
PROS: Can start today with little financial investment – eg take down the garden fences!
CONS : may take a long time to persuade/create or attract likeminded neighbours to achieve successful sustainability + communality
NEXT STEPS : interested parties create a street-group for awareness raising, talk to neighbours, alert prospective residents through TTL etc
2. LANDMARK ECO DEVELOPMENT!
FOR : anyone interested in pursuing this option with developers and planners
PROS : likely to be most sustainable building types and in/near urban setting
CONS : lack of affordable land / sites in or around Lewes
NEXT STEPS : contact LDC and Lewes community Land Trust
3. CHANGE OF USE / ECO-RENOVATION! FOR : group interested in adapting and sharing an existing Industrial or commercial building etc
PROS : likely to be in or near urban setting
CONS : convertion and eco-renovation costs yet to be assessed and issues around obtaining planning permission for change of use may prove timeconsuming
NEXT STEPS : DLG to research logistics of communal living with residents experienced in co-housing see next meeting July.
USEFUL LINKS
www.cohousing.co.uk
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ecovillageuk/
http://www.diggersanddreamers.org.uk/
http://gen.ecovillages.org/index.html
Get involved: contact one of the Group contacts on the Groups page
