HOW CAN THE UK GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGE RESIDENTIAL COMMONS?
Cristian Halmaghe U1371563
This essay will look at current governmental housing schemes that encourage the creation of residential commons. It will identify the current organisational and bureaucratic obstacles and will look at what the UK government can further do to stimulate communal living.
Image 1: Cohousing (Eco Design Consultants, n.d.) Scheme showing a typical cohousing structure and the relation between private and shared spaces.
What is Cohousing? Started in Denmark in the 60’s, the concept of Cohousing aims to bring together people with similar interests and philosophy of life and to encourage collaborative living. This concept was translated in architecture through self-contained homes with shared spaces. The design of these houses is often specific to the community needs. The shared spaces, such as kitchens and gardens are designed to promote social interaction and collaboration. Cohousing represents a social answer to contemporary problems such as loneliness and isolation which affect in equal measure the old and young.
What are Community Land Trusts? A form of communal living which has been popular in the past few years in the UK is Community Land Trusts or CLT’s. CLT’s are set up and organised by regular people, who want to build and manage their homes and other infrastructure dedicated to the community like: gardens, community businesses and micro farming (National Community Land Trust Network, n.d.). CLT’s have an important financial characteristic too. The model is based on building affordable housing, sometimes in areas where the housing market is pushing locals out and making sure that the cost of these houses remains affordable in perpetuity. The governance of CLT’s has the following characteristics:
• • • •
Allows for the community to get involved in key decisions Is set up to benefit a specific community Is a non-profit organisation and all the money generated have to be reinvested for the benefit of the community Local people must have the opportunity to join the CLT
Image 2: CLT Graphic (National Community Land Trust Landmark, n.d.) Diagram showing the core principles of CLT’s
How are CLT’s and Cohousing Commons? Cohousing and CLT are notions that fit in the concept of commons. Commons is a term used to describe the process in which a community of individuals are sharing resources in an agreed governance scheme. The relationship established between participants can be described as an “equalitarian form of social organization, an ever-expanding network of alternatives to economocentric reason and to exploitative power relations.” (Stavrides, 2016, p 54). The commons are spaces which are designed to fit the needs and express the values of a specific social group. These spaces are different from public spaces as they are not ruled by a local authority, but only by the members directly involved in the group.
CLT’s and cohousing fit in the definition of commons as they are organised by small local communities which share the goal of owning a house and live in communities with similar minded people. People join groups as a response to the lack of local affordable homes especially for young families and older people or because in some areas, the lack of investment has led to empty buildings and neglect. Residential commons are a solution for communities who want to build a better place to live and have more control over how it is governed. Image 3: New Ground, High Barnet (Right to build toolkit, n.d.) Image showing the group of the Older Women’s Cohousing and the housing project.
Other forms of community led housing solutions are: cohousing development trusts and housing co-operatives.
What is the UK government doing now? The British government has implemented a number of programs meant to encourage the building of affordable houses and to reduce the level of CO2 in the construction industry. One example is the “Affordable Homes Guarantees Programme” which is helping applicants by reducing the cost of borrowing. The government is doing that by using its credibility in the relationship with the banks so groups get a better deal. Another programme addressed mainly to cohousing and CLT projects is the “Community Housing Fund”. For this program the government is making available £163 million across England. This scheme aims to increase the number of community led housing projects to address high levels of second-home ownership and low affordability. “Londoners Community Housing Hub” is another scheme implemented by London mayor Sadiq Khan. A one-stop shop was created to serve people who want to build their own home. The programme is offering advice regarding finance and finding suitable plots. These types of schemes have been encouraging CLT’s to work with the government to get better interest rates and opt for energy efficient designs.
Image 4: London Older Lesbian Cohousing Logo (London Older Lesbian Cohousing, n.d.) “Londoners Community Housing Hub” is the program trough which London Older Lesbian Cohousing managed to build a business plan. This is an example of governmental help in an area with ever-increasing house prices.
Problems in the relationship with the UK government The main problem identified by the UK Cohousing executive director is the lack of funding and technical support (Youde, 2018). While there is a huge demand for cohousing, many had to back up because of the challenges encountered when it comes to land cost and legal requirements. Although the concept is relatively new to the UK, late 90s (UK Cohousing Network, n.d.), compared to early 60s in Scandinavian countries, the central and local authorities failed to show the same commitment as the Nordics. Looking at other European countries, where the municipalities managed to set up structures in order to keep up with the demand, the UK government could implement new measures to aid communities.
Image 5: Svalin in Trekroner (Roskilde Kommune, 2020) Picture of a cohousing project in Roskilde municipality, Denmark. The local authorities are helping and encouraging people to build in a sustainable and low energy manner. Due to the help and incentives offered, 3000 of the 85000 residents of this municipality chose to live in a cohousing project. If the UK government would act in a similar fashion, this result could be replicated .
What is happening in other countries? Since in Germany, the cohousing concept started in the late 70s and it became popular in the 2000s (Ache & Fedrowitz, 2012, p1), quite similar to the UK, the following paragraphs will be looking at how the German government supports the cohousing initiatives.
Initially, many cohousing projects in Germany failed due to the complex planning process and the lack of support from local councils. The situation changed once the demand for this new type of residential projects reached the political level, making the local councils implement support structures to aid the projects. The reason municipalities in Germany, and in Nordic countries, are encouraging cohousing is the positive impact they have on communities. In these communities, a unique mix of people is formed: families and singles, young and old of different nationalities and income groups. The positive impact goes beyond the community itself, and more people see cohousing as an alternative way of living. Beyond the quality of life and the strong communities, councils see practical effects as well. The self-help systems in cohousing such as help for the very young or the very old, and the financial support between people with different income levels are helping the public social support systems in Germany. In Germany, the support received ranges from websites with a database for local builders and construction professionals to the allocation of grants, loans and building plots (Ache & Fedrowitz, 2012). While in the UK, steps have been taken towards the allocation of funding, the lack of technical support in terms of comprehensive databases has not been fully addressed.
One of the municipalities that encouraged cohousing is Hamburg.
In 2003, it launched a new support agency for collaborative construction projects. The agency is structured to be a one stop shop for projects that are owner-occupied or new co-operatives (Ache & Fedrowitz, 2012, p7). The services offered range from finding possible partners, to suitable building plots and financial support.
The city is allocating 20% of the publicly controlled land designated for housing as land for cohousing projects. To obtain a plot, applicants send the designs to the council which chooses the best ones and reserves the plot for up to one year. The criteria used to select successful groups have to do with the mix of people in the groups, the successful ones will have a socio-economic equilibrium; and the readiness of the community to start working and participate actively in the construction process. A similar approach can be used in the UK, where an administrative unit can be created and tailored to each geographical area.
Image 6: Waldivitas, Hamburg-Langenhorn (Con Plan Projekte, n.d.)
Cohousing has been used in regeneration context too. One successful example is Ruhr region where old industrial sites from all around the city have been redeveloped and made the area sustainable again (Ache & Fedrowitz, 2012, p9). The UK can follow a similar path, as there are numerous neglected zones (East and central England) which would benefit from the introduction of sustainable communities. Since the UK wishes to adopt sustainable practices in the next 25 years (World Wildlife Fund, 2018), cohousing provides an environmentally friendly alternative to the current housing market. By sharing facilities and resources, cohousing projects will have a significantly lower impact on the environment (Oxford Cohousing, n.d).
Image 7: Residential project, Emscher (Luftbild, 2018) Image of a cohousing project from Hรถrde. This project is a multi generation residential project built to revive a historical area
What the UK Government can do specifically? If cohousing is to become mainstream, the government has to get involved. In Germany, as well as in the Nordic countries, the government creates the infrastructure for people to find groups, specialists and funding.
In the UK, the government can act in a similar way by developing infrastructure that coagulates groups with similar life philosophy and limit or eliminate bureaucracy where possible. It can also develop guidance for a series of ways in which new groups make decisions and govern themselves. Another action would be the creation of a revolving landbank fund, which will help groups buy land, pay professionals and aid in the physical construction of the project. Awareness of this kind of projects and the alternative way of living needs to be promoted more to the public and local authorities. The councils need to have specialised departments that are ready to explain the process and answer questions. To increase interest, projects that have been aided financially by the government can be shown in open days or case studies. The government can encourage communal living by: building nearby schools, bus stops, electric vehicle stations, offering incentives for using less CO2 and renewable energy, and by allocating land as a proportion of the local masterplan for cohousing schemes. The creation of more one-stop shops for cohousing projects will make the process more straight forward for people who have never been involved in the construction industry. The tasks of such governmental organisation would be: • • • • •
Provide general information Matching people in groups and providing governance models Financial aid Providing database with professionals in the construction industry Facilitating communication between all parties involved
Conclusion Communal living schemes involve a complex system and require support from the government and local authorities. Today this style of living represents a niche in the housing market and if it is to become a mainstream movement then it should receive more substantial support in the future. The action needed most from municipalities are: allocation of land, legal help and financial aid.
In Europe there are successful examples where the model functioned well. In these cases, the quality of life for the residents improved and there are real social benefits aiding local councils. Communal living could be a solution to many of the problems we are facing today. By focusing on low environmental impact, creation of strong cohesive communities and keeping the house prices low, the model could become a real alternative to the current residential situation. The government needs to play a key role and create the infrastructure in which such projects and communities can thrive.
References Ache, P., & Fedrowitz, M. (2012). The Development of Co-Housing Initiatives in Germany. Built Environment , (38), 1. doi: 10.2148/benv.38.3.395. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263145294_The_Development_of_CoHousing_Initiatives_in_Germany All Things Nordic. (2019, April 28). Housing in Sweden: a story of co-living, co-housing and… mambo!. Retrieved from https://allthingsnordic.eu/housing-in-sweden-a-story-of-coliving-co-housing-and-mambo Bridger, J. (2015, June 10). Don’t Call It A Commune: Inside Berlin’s Radical Cohousing Project. Retrieved from https://www.metropolismag.com/architecture/residentialarchitecture/dont-call-it-a-commune-inside-berlin-radical-cohousing-project Chau, T. (2018). Self Build Cohousing A Guide To Common Success Factors Across 16 Case Studies (Degree Dissertation). Retrieved from https://issuu.com/charlinechauuk/docs/schulich___co-housing_model__16_cas Government Digital Service. (n.d.). Community Housing Fund. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/community-housing-fund Greater London Authority. (n.d.). Homes for Londoners. Retrieved from https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/homes-londoners National Community Land Trust Network. (n.d.). About CLTs. Retrieved from http://www.communitylandtrusts.org.uk/what-is-a-clt/about-clts Oxford Cohousing. (n.d.). What is Cohousing?. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordcohousing.org.uk/?page_id=148 Shaw, A. (Producer). (2019). Money Box Live: Communal Living [Radio broadcast]. Leeds: BBC Radio 4. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000cc74
Stavrides, S. (2016). Common Space: The City as Commons UK Cohousing Network. (n.d.). Cohousing in the news. Retrieved from https://cohousing.org.uk/media/cohousing-in-the-news/ UK Cohousing Network. (n.d.). A finance solution for Cannock Mill Cohousing. Retrieved from https://cohousing.org.uk/case-study/finance-solution-cannock-mill-cohousing World Wildlife Fund. (2018). Influencing the UK Government's 25 Year Environment Plan. Retrieved from https://www.wwf.org.uk/25YEP Youde, K. (2018). Co-housing: we’re all in this together. architectsjournal, Retrieved from https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/co-housing-were-all-in-thistogether/10028797.article
References Image 1 Eco Design Consultants. (n.d.). Cohousing [Online image]. Retrieved from https://www.ecodesignconsultants.co.uk/what-is-cohousing Image 2 National Community Land Trust Landmark. (n.d.). CLT Graphic [Online image]. Retrieved from http://www.communitylandtrusts.org.uk/what-is-a-clt/about-clts Image 3 Right to build toolkit. (n.d.). New Ground, High Barnet [Online image]. Retrieved from https://righttobuildtoolkit.org.uk/case-studies/new-ground Image 4 London Older Lesbian Cohousing. (n.d.). London Older Lesbian Cohousing Logo [Online image]. Retrieved from https://lolcohousing.co.uk Image 5 Roskilde Kommune. (2020). Svalin in Trekroner [Online image]. Retrieved from https://roskilde.dk/nyheder/kontakt/bofaellesskaber-boomer-i-roskilde-kommune
Image 6 Con Plan Projekte. (n.d.). Waldivitas, Hamburg-Langenhorn [Online image]. Retrieved from https://www.conplan-projekte.de/bauen-wohnen/realisierte-projekte/hamburgerprojekte/waldivitas-hamburg.html Image 7 Luftbild (2018). Residential project, Emscher [Online image]. Retrieved from https://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/dortmund/mehrgenerationen-wohnprojekt-belebt-balddie-emscherpromenade-plus-1321141.html