LIVE PROJECT
Gŵyr CLT is working towards building a cohousing site of 14 households, with a common house containing shared facilities, and outdoor space for play, food production and wildlife.
The site
The site is a roughly 6 acre parcel of land situated within the village of Bishopston, where the majority of our members live and work, with pedestrian access to shops, primary and secondary schools and pubs, as well as good pubic transport links with Swansea.
The total developed area makes up 1.8 acres, with 2 acres left for food growing and 2 acres as public access amenity space.
The development will include 14 zero-carbon homes as semi-detached pairs or short-terraces arranged and orientated around a central car-free shared garden, with small private gardens to the south of all houses.
Affordability
All houses will be permanently protected at genuinely affordable levels of Shared Ownership. This means that individuals will own the leasehold of between 15-80% of their house, whilst Gwyr CLT retains the freehold and remaining 20-85% equity.
The proposed balance of house sizes is:
four 2-bedroom, 4-person houses
eight 3-bedroom 4- or 5-person houses
two 1-bedroom bungalows specifically for older people down-sizing.
Currently, our membership fills 6 of the 14 households. If you are interested in becoming a resident member, please have a look at our Membership page.
Concept Designs
We have worked with architects to create three concept designs for the site. These are not exhaustive and certainly not the only options, but were created to show several ideas or concepts to gather feedback through the consultation process, which would be used to create the final layout and design.
Design brief
A cohousing design ethos has been used, which prioritises pedestrian access over cars and attempts to reflect aspects of a traditional village, promoting social interaction and neighbourliness, through the way the houses are designed and laid out.
Houses are designed to have smaller private gardens and instead larger shared outdoor areas, and restricted vehicle access allow for much more generous open space provision, which creates a character more in keeping with the rural feel of the greenfield land to the east and south of the site, as well as huge benefits for biodiversity.
GCLT and our architects have created several initial concept designs ready for feedback from the community, if you would to have your say on the designs, please fill in our online consultation, or come along to one of our consultation events throughout the summer.
Concept two.
A courtyard of short terraces with small south facing private gardens and central shared garden. Peripheral parking with occasional vehicle access via grassy track to north and south. Native landscaping buffer adjacent to Providence Lane. Food growing areas, including orchard, to north and east of housing minimising impact on public right of way, which is maintained as existing. New housing has a stronger connection to existing housing, with the South Close access road transitioning to small pedestrian route through courtyard. 2-acre community green space in southern portion of site.
Build methods
We will prioritise local, natural and renewable materials in line with our ecological/regenerative principles, with a particular focus on local Welsh timber.
Gŵyr CLT will use a community self-build approach in order to reduce the build cost and to enable residents without savings for a deposit to acquire equity by contributing to the build process.
Up to 50% of the work will be undertaken by the residents, with the other half being subcontracted out to local companies as far as possible. Contractors will be selected with reference to their understanding of a collaborative approach.
Concept one.
A courtyard of short terraces with small south facing private gardens and central shared garden. Peripheral parking with occasional vehicle access via grassy track to north and south. Native landscaping buffer to north and west, providing screening to existing houses and Providence Lane, and setting the housing as a 'farm courtyard' within the field. South Close access transitions to main pedestrian route through courtyard. Green space areas to north and south including orchard trees. 2-acre community green space in southern portion of site, existing public rights of way maintained.
Concept three.
An open courtyard of semi-detached and short terraces with small south facing private gardens and central shared garden. Peripheral parking with occasional vehicle access via grassy track around north, east and south. Smaller native landscaping buffer to Providence Lane and no. 4 and food growing areas, including orchard, to east and south. Housing tucked away to northwest to minimise visual impact from South Close and maximise the connection between green space on site and in adjacent fields. Public rights of way maintained, but slightly adjusted. 2-acre community green space in southern portion of site.