What is cohousing?
Cohousing is a way of living which brings individuals and families together in groups to share common aims and activities while also enjoying their own self-contained accommodation and personal space.
Cohousing communities are a means of compensating for the alienating effects of modern life where neighbours don't recognise each other and where day-to-day collaboration is minimal. They offer particular benefits for children in terms of secure play-space and shared activities with their peers. Older people can also find companionship and mutual support in such communities.
The main features of cohousing communities are:
- They are set up and run by their members for mutual benefit
- Members are consciously committed to living as a community
- Developments are designed to encourage social contact and a sense of neighbourhood among members.
- Common space facilitates shared activities like community meals and other amenities like laundries, heating systems, guest rooms, transport, etc may be shared
Cohousing in the UK
There is a rapidly-growing UK interest in cohousing - take a look at our map of UK projects. There are an increasing number of groups seeking sites and many individuals seeking a group to join. There are eight fully-established cohousing communities in the UK: Springhill in Stroud, the Community Project in Laughton, near Lewes, Thundercliffe Grange near Rotherham, Canon Frome in Wiltshire and the Threshold Centre in Dorset. Smaller cohousing schemes include Stroud Co-flats, Frankleigh co-flats and The Courtyards near Bradford upon Avon. All are based on owner-occupation, although the Stroud community has three shared ownership units. It is difficult to pin down the exact number of groups as they are constantly in flux. We estimate there are 25 - 30 forming groups currently functioning, with another tier of up to 60 loose coalitions interested in cohousing.
To find out more and learn what this site can do for you, click here...The UK Cohousing Network website is a repository of information from many people. When reading an article, note whether it has an author beneath the title. If it does, that piece is the author's own views. This site hopes to encourage the sharing of as many viewpoints as possible so we can support each other in developing cohousing. But note that only un-named articles can be attributed to the UK Cohousing Network.
Brighton Cohousing - June News
Wed, 06/10/2009 - 08:35 — adminBrighton Cohousing - June 2009
- Brighton Cohousing vision workshop
Sat 13 June
2 - 5pm in the Red Room at Phoenix Brighton (the arts centre), Waterloo Place, BN2 9NB
Creating a vision: what, where, who and why. The first step in creating a cohousing project and developing a business plan for carrying it out. If you would like to be involved in this exciting venture, bring your ideas and your flexibility and let's start! It is a good time to be doing it. Developers are giving up land, loans are available for co-operative housing, housing authorities are keen to encourage affordable housing - and there is a lot of interest amongst people who would like to live in a sustainable community.
Buying into a Community: Properties available at the Community Project
Wed, 05/20/2009 - 16:08 — adminBuying into one of the UK's few co-housing communities means life may never be the same again...
Ten years after the start of the Community Project, several families are moving on. This is because the children have grown up and are leaving for college and want the buzz of town life and others need to downsize. Consequently there are 3 homes for sale and 1 for rent:
- No 8A: 3 bedroom flat at £295,000
- No 9: 4 bedroom house at £475,000
- No 18: 4 bedroom house for rent
- No 20: 2 bedroom flat at £250,000
For details and photos of each home please follow the links above or look in the marketplace section.
The Community Project is a co-housing community in the village of Laughton in the heart of the South Downs. Laughton Lodge is on the edge of the village and the property has the advantage of sharing 23 acres of community land with the possibility of vegetable growing, (allotments and poly tunnel) lounging in the wild flower meadow, joining the horse club, walking in the woods, playing in the tree house, camping or enjoying a full size football field.
There is a large community building with kitchen and dining room, large hall for parties, rehearsals, a music room, a games room, and potential office/studio space, for your own private use as well as communal use. There are lots of communal activities for adults and children, opportunities for shared childcare and car sharing is possible.
The village has a primary school and the secondary school is three miles away. There are Steiner Schools in Forest Row and Brighton and and the Dharma School in Brighton. There are lots of social events in the village and there is a lively, well-stocked village shop, Post Office and Pub. Brighton is about fifteen miles away, London 53 miles away, trains straight to London from Glynde (3 miles away) Lewes (6 miles) Uckfield (6 miles) Glyndbourne is 3 miles away, surrounded by South Downs walks from the front door through bluebell woods up to the hills.
For Sale: 20, Laughton Lodge - 2 bedroom flat
Tue, 05/19/2009 - 20:20 — adminNo 20, Laughton Lodge - The Community Project
A two bedroom flat - part of a cohousing community in the village of Laughton in the heart of the South Downs.
Call vendor: Luke 01323 815748
£250,000
For more information about The Community Project, visit their page.
For Rent: 18, Laughton Lodge - 4 bedroom home
Mon, 05/18/2009 - 20:10 — adminNo 18, Laughton Lodge - The Community Project
A four bedroom home for rent - part of a cohousing community in the village of Laughton in the heart of the South Downs. (For pictures and specs follow the 'read more' link...)
Article in USA TODAY about senior cohousing
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 17:51 — adminAmerican news company USA TODAY have run an article about senior cohousing.
You can find the full story here.
Brighton Cohousing - May News
Wed, 05/13/2009 - 17:45 — adminSurvey results
Earlier this year we had an online survey 'How close to achieving cohousing are you?' intended to find out where people had got to and what Brighton Cohousing might do to help.
About 110 people on the Brighton Cohousing email list were asked to fill in an online survey. Twenty people replied - this is not a truly representative sample, but it gives a flavour.
Threshold Centre - Newsletter May 2009
Thu, 05/07/2009 - 20:12 — adminOur Big Build!
We have lift-off! The remaining planning conditions have finally been discharged and builders are now on site. It’s so exciting, after all this time, to finally see (and hear) it beginning to happen before our very eyes. We are still on target for completion in January 2010.
New Developing Group: Bridport Cohousing Community
Sat, 05/02/2009 - 13:00 — adminA new developing group Bridport Cohousing Community has registered with the UK Cohousing Network.
They are looking for new members, so if you're interested in living in an a cohousing community of around 30 homes on the edge of Bridport, visit their page.
National Cohousing Conference 2009
Sat, 05/02/2009 - 12:16 — admin 
The national cohousing conference is happening from 24th to 28th of June in Seattle, Washington.
There will be workshops available and over a dozen countries represented.
For more information visit their site.
