Waiting pool started

In our recent recruitment phase we have filled the last 6 of 24 spaces, and started a waiting pool. We ARE still accepting applications because we anticipate that we may build more homes than this, and that there will be some turnover of households. Applicants will be considered for the waiting pool, then households will be selected from the waiting pool when we need to recruit more full member households. For more information see the join section.

Public meeting and social

To find out what's happening with the Lancaster Cohousing project, ask questions and have an opportunity to meet some of the members come along to our next public meeting on Saturday 31 March, 16:15 for 16:30-18:00, at the Friends Meeting House, Lancaster. We''ll give an update of where we are and show some inspiring pictures of the architect's work.

Note: crèche facilities are available but must be reserved in advance – email info@lancastercohousing.org.uk.

The meeting will be followed by a vegan potluck meal for prospective members - please bring food to share. These socials are a great opportunity to chat with lots of the members and we usually have lots of good food too! Those who sign up on the day will of course be welcome.

Stroud trip

If you are interested in the minibus trip to Stroud Cohousing on Saturday 17th March please contact Diana on 01524 37336 asap. It's a very inspiring project.

Current applications

We expect to fill all homes and start our waiting list during our current round of applications.

• The next deadline will be 18 April and the applications will be considered in the April General meeting (26 th).
• Applicants should have attended a social to be considered on this date.
• If you are applying to be a full member please also send a prospective membership form and £30 (if you haven't already).
• We'll prioritise achieving an intergenerational mix, otherwise preference will be given in order of when applications are received. It is worth applying early as it looks like we will be over subscribed.
• We will ask for a £5k cheque and a signed pre sale agreement by 23 May from the new households.

We unveiled the first of our architect's sketches for our community at the weekend and legally contracted 18 of the homes to households on a pre-sale agreement, and there's been a flurry of enquiries and serious interest. This leaves only a maximum of 5 of the planned homes left to be bought, but with several families seriously interested, we're now making plans to set-up a waiting list for disappointed buyers.

As well as signing pre-sale agreements this weekend, all the families buying into the scheme have made a £5000 interest free loan to the company which acts as a deposit on their future home. This will enable the group to raise money from the Co-op bank to purchase land and begin the building.

We have appointed award winning architects EcoArc of York who have a reputation for sensitive design on listed buildings as well as a wealth of expertise in ecological design, social building and amazingly even cohousing. Some initial sketches of their ideas were unveiled at a public meeting held last Saturday, with one hopeful buyer travelling from as far as London to look at the plans. Hopefully these will be made available on our website in the coming weeks.

There are a few plots remaining in the scheme and anyone who is interested in finding out more should go to the group's website while the last few houses remain!!! and fill out an application form to guarantee yourselves entry!!!!

There are a few prospective member events coming up soon (see main page) including a pub night on Tuesday, so do come along and meet some of the other members. If you haven't already joined you can join on the night!

We are accepting full member applications on an ongoing basis. Even if we do reserve all the homes we'll have a waiting pool.

Full members spent 2 weekends in Yealand Conyers in October doing workshops on a range of subjects such as cohouse facilities, risks and site value. The architects came along for a day and inspired everyone with their eco and cohousing ideas and experience.

Our preferred architects have been chosen! See here for more details. All the full members will be meeting and working with them on design next weekend. Last weekend the full members spent a weekend in Yealand Conyers doing workshops on a range of subjects such as cohouse facilities, risks and site value.

We are accepting full member applications on an ongoing basis. Even if we do reserve all the homes we'll have a waiting pool.

There are a few prospective member events coming up soon (see main page), so do join and come along.

We've had a few new full member applications and look forward to welcoming new households! Don't worry if you missed the deadline. We will accept applications at any time and we will have a waiting list when all the homes are reserved.

Yesterday we had a workshop about consensus decision making. Later in the month we will have workshops around ecological values and our hopes and fears.

We are appointing the architects in the next meeting of full members. The panel have been busy travelling the country visiting buildings and will be interviewing over the next 2 days! Once the architects have been appointed they will join all the full members for 2 site design weekends in October.

FULL MEMBERSHIP - Phase II

We're moving fast: We've completed our site design workshop! Our pre-planning application has gone in! We sold double the number of homes in Phase I than we aimed for! We've started the community living with our first 'cohouse' meal! By job-sharing we are now working well above one full time job! More and more families are joining! AND Phase II home sales to be released soon!

Phase I applications closed on May 31st and 14 households have now come forward and stumped up the initial £5k investment towards their home. We've been trying to speedily integrate them ever since, as well as keep to the project build timetable. This means that there might only be ONE UNIT LEFT in the project (eek you cry, where's my cheque book to join now). Well, we may have more, but we may be constrained to go ahead and build just 15 units. Our pre-planning application was for 21 housing units, which if approved will mean there's still 7 available and less of you will be disappointed... So , is this the bit for you??? Joining Phase II and getting your neighbourly eco-home in Lancaster???

We'll be formally accepting a new round of Full Member households on Sept 28th. The *STRICT DEADLINE* for applications is 1pm Thursday Sept 14th. Full membership applications can be downloaded from our website and posted to the address on our joiners leaflet. Applications will be accepted by giving consideration to achieving a diverse and balanced community - so it'll be nothing personal if you don't get through. Hopefully there's still 7 places left, so plenty of you will get in, but we'll hold all interested parties on a waiting list.