Aiming to provide better homes and stronger communities
We are seeking a property developer and landowner to work with them to develop a mixed tenure, community-led housing scheme. We wish to secure space for up to forty homes with some shared gardens and communal space. The development would include social rented, shared ownership and some market homes. Visually there would be no distinction between the different types of tenure. The properties would be relatively high-density flats and terraces built as close to passivhaus as possible.
The location for the development in Oxfordshire could be urban, suburban, village or rural with a preference for brownfield, although anything will be considered if there is a realistic chance of securing planning. It would also be preferable to acquire a site close to public transport, cycle routes, river and shops. A cohousing community offers the opportunity to share resources, give and get support, have fun and enjoy time together and we already have over twenty members seeking to live in cohousing. It provides a way of living that includes the social benefits of being a part of a mutually supportive community as well as living a low carbon lifestyle with shared resources.
We are open to offers from developers with existing sites if the layout/design can be re-configured to our requirements. We welcome enquiries from developers and landowners committed to addressing housing need by devising ways to create sustainable, diverse communities with affordable homes.
Bid for the Wolvercote Paper Mill site 2016
One of the sites that we have had on our list for some time, as a possible CoHousing site, is the former Oxford University Press papermill site in Wolvercote. After outline planning permission was granted in December 2015 for 190 houses, the site finally went on the market early 2016. Great efforts were made for Cohousing to be included as part of a wider development on this site. A new umbrella group, Homes for Oxford, bringing together representatives from Oxford Cohousing, Oxford Community Land Trust, and two housing cooperatives, worked hard to develop a credible bid with a developer partner.
Our final bid was a masterpiece of community and sustainable living, which would have been a first of its kind in the country. Unfortunately, though shortlisted, we did not win. However we continue to pursue the possibility of part of the site being made available for a CoHousing community.
Coverage by the Oxford Mail (open in new tab)
Coverage by the Guardian (open in new tab)
Bid for the Stansfeld Quarry 2015
In 2015 we bid for the Stansfeld quarry. Our bid was shortlisted but unfortunately not successful.
Link to the bid document
Below are impressions of how CoHousing might look, from the Stansfeld site bid document:
