How cohousing can unlock development potential
We love cohousing for many reasons! Other recent blogs have explored the benefits to living more communally and sharing resources. What is not always spelled out is that by its very nature it has the potential to be more affordable as certain 'conventional' aspects of a development can be omitted, shared, or made more efficient. Think landscaping features like boundary walls and fencing, car parking areas, or even space within each home (though this is typically 'given' over to communal facilities).
While these considerations may seem small they can make a significant cumulative difference to the viability of a scheme. This is particularly true in some of the conversion projects that we have been doing. Where a building or series of buildings are looking to be converted to residential homes, cohousing can radically unlock development potential that would not be possible in conventional housing.
Existing Proposed
This potential is multi-faceted; better design and nicer living spaces, more overall space per dwelling, more dwellings on a given site, more facilities, etc etc. Ultimately cohousing is only a very slightly 'different' way of living (that historically or in other cultures is not 'different' at all – its considered very natural, normal and healthy), but can lead to a very different development and financial model. One that provides a lot more bang for your buck!
One of the best examples of this is the cohousing project at Bridge Farm, Somerset. We secured planning for them not too long ago and they are currently filling the last few spaces before construction work starts... so if you're interested in being involved, get in touch with them here.
I was excited about the idea of a cohousing community from my very first visit to Bridge Farm. It was a cold day in February 2022 but I could feel the warmth of the old farm yard, reimagining it filled with families and the comings and goings of daily life. Their brief for a cohousing scheme seemed tailor-made for the site and visa versa!
As a series of old stone barns, densely clustered around small courtyards, these buildings were not appropriately laid out for conversion to a 'normal' housing scheme. Conventional thinking would sight the lack of separation, private parking potential or private outside space as detrimental to open-market housing requirements. Indeed, a similar farmyard close by had been controversially split up and rebuilt into just a few pseudo-traditional, 'executive' houses. While not listed, Bridge Farm is a good example of a Victorian farmstead and retains a delightful character so it was beneficial to keep as much of the historic fabric and layout as possible. Cohousing principals made this relatively easy with the creation of 12 smaller dwellings and a common house that embraced their togetherness while 'sharing the spoils' of the rest of the extensive site for separate parking, workshops, gardens and agricultural land.
We think this project is an absolute triumph; both for the people who will live there and for the wider community as the legibility and character of the place is retained, adding another layer to the richness of history (rather than wiping the slate clean). We think cohousing brings real opportunities for self-builders, groups and even developers! This is even more relevant given the recent changes to Class Q meaning up to 10 dwellings can now be created under permitted development! Get in touch if you are looking to redevelop a large building or whole farm yard.