Community Housing Project

Published in the Charlbury Chronicle April 2013

Living in Charlbury, any resident might have a view on what constitutes a strong balanced community. Here we do appear to have good social, sporting, cultural and environmental facilities and in most aspects, the community is strong and cohesive. However, very few residents can be unaware of the current debate about affordable rural housing. The 2006 Charlbury housing needs survey indicated that there was a demand for 61 new households.  At present this provision is being met by 15 new social houses in Little Lees, and other schemes are in the discussion stage. Charlbury Town Council estimate however, that the figure of 61 probably still represents the demand level. There can be little doubt that a healthy community requires balance in its constituent parts.

Although there is a formal definition in planning legislation for affordable housing, there is another intermediate category which includes families who, under pre-financial crisis circumstances, would have been able to afford to buy into the housing market. This category often represent the groups that make the rural economy function and includes amongst  readers of the Charlbury Chronicle; nurses, teachers, electricians, builders, retired people and some professionals. This group has no formal recognition in housing need terms and must compete on the open market for either renting or buying properties.

This problem is nationwide of course and one solution developed elsewhere has been to form co-housing groups whereby like-minded people get together and form communities either to purchase a large property which is subdivided or to build a number of homes as a group. Co-housing usually adheres to strong environmental and sustainable agendas. Co-housing and community groups are recognised elsewhere and develop their own sustainable solutions to housing needs, often with the cooperation of their local authority.

Huge changes in legislation from the Big Society and including the National Planning Policy Framework, support for the preparation of local plans and Community Right to Build have been brought into law in the last year or so, most of which are intended to promote locally-driven development. Sustainability is a key driver and although over-used as a term, it not only means designing well-insulated houses in the right location employing appropriate materials but also should mean making sure that communities are well-balanced and thriving.

The current West Oxfordshire District Council Draft Local Plan published at the end of 2012 acknowledges the need for some 350 additional houses in the Charlbury/Burford Area and recognises that the houses must be provided where the needs are. The draft also makes provision for meeting community priorities, recognises that self-build will be one means of delivery and states that there should be a presumption in favour of sustainable development.

The Beacon Project Charlbury was formed and registered as a not-for -profit company in 2011 with the aim of promoting a community housing project , utilising local skills through a self-build programme which we argue is a viable option. We also believe that where communities help themselves there is a good chance of retaining and enhancing community values through shared services and self-management. The idea is not new but has been practised widely since the co-housing movement started in Denmark in the 1970s. 

The Beacon Project has been active in pursuing several potential sites for a community housing scheme (see our blog link) and is still investigating a number of sites including the Forest Road land adjacent to the small industrial estate on the west side of the station. It has to be noted that, although the District Council has stated an ambitious housing target, there has to be an increase in the current very restrictive release of land with suitable planning consent if these targets are to be met. 

We have therefore joined the Charlbury Town Council in their current initiative to prepare a Community Led Plan in which it is hoped there will be recognition of the needs of this key category which will lead to a suitable site being supported. We aim to develop some houses to Passive House standard which is the highest environmental level in Europe and have an established relationship with Sovereign Housing as well as a strong community agenda.

Given the recent changes in legislation and the economic climate in which we now all live, if the objectives outlined above cannot be achieved in a dynamic small town like Charlbury, one would assume that there is probably little chance of success elsewhere. This is not the case however, as up to 40 self-build and co-housing schemes are completed, underway or under consideration in other parts of this country. They are also being actively supported by several local authorities including Cambridge City Council.